Jared Kushner, former White House advisor and son-in-law to Donald Trump, has firmly stated that he will not rejoin the Trump administration if the Republican leader secures victory in the upcoming presidential election.
Speaking at an Axios event in Miami on Tuesday, Kushner emphasized his commitment to Affinity Partners, the private equity firm he founded in 2021.
"I've been very clear that my desire in this phase of life is to focus on the firm," Kushner said, as per Bloomberg.
Despite distancing himself from a potential return to the White House, Kushner commended Trump's current campaign team, describing them as "maybe the best he's ever had."
"The team around him is maybe the best he's ever had," Kushner said, showing his support for the group. He further added, "I suspect that if he gets into office again they'll have a very long list of very qualified people to choose from. Last time, it was really a family campaign, he was an outsider running, even Republicans were against him."
During Trump's presidency, Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, played significant roles as key advisers. Kushner, in particular, played an important role in various policy matters, including the Abraham Accords in 2020, which normalized relations between Israel and some Arab nations. Abraham Accords was mediated by the United States.
However, Kushner's post-White House business dealings have come under scrutiny, particularly a reported $2 billion investment from the sovereign wealth fund controlled by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Defending his business decisions, Kushner asserted that he followed all laws and ethics rules and dismissed concerns about conflicts of interest.
Responding to questions about his association with the Saudi crown prince, who faced allegations regarding the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, Kushner stood firm. "If you ask me about the work that we did in the White House, for my critics, what I say is point to a single decision we made that wasn't in the interest of America," he emphasized.
In response to inquiries about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, Jared Kushner initially expressed frustration, questioning the ongoing discussion with a terse, "are we really still doing this?" Later, Kushner clarified that he had not reviewed the U.S. intelligence assessment implicating the crown prince in the assassination of the Washington Post columnist.
"I know the person who I dealt with. I think he's a visionary leader. I think what he's done in that region is transformational," Kushner asserted while defending the Saudi crown prince.
"I understand why people, you know, are upset about that. I think that what happened there was absolutely horrific. But again, our job was to represent America, and to try to push forward things in America," he added.
