Ivanka Trump’s husband Jared Kushner has silenced any speculation that she will campaign for her father, Donald Trump, in the final days of the presidential election, or that they’d work again in his administration if he wins Nov. 5.
Kushner told the New York Times that they’re “rooting” for Trump’s victory, but he also insisted that, “either way, our life will just continue to move forward.”
Indeed, the couple’s luxe family life is likely to “continue” in the gated island community of Indian Creek Village near Miami, known as Florida’s “Billionaire Bunker.” They seem to like the surfing-and-society life-style there, which also includes such neighbors as Tom Brady, Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, whose friends group includes both Ivanka and Kim Kardashian.
But the former White House advisers also could “move forward” by becoming even more wealthy if Trump returns to the White House, critics of the couple say, the New York Times reported. Critics argue that the couple — known as “Javanka” — definitely could benefit financially if Trump is re-elected, even if they stay outside of government.
“They don’t need to go into government,” said Vicky Ward, the author of “Kushner Inc.,” about the couple’s various businesses. “They’ve already proven, in a way, that government is really good business for them.”
With the global political and business connections that Kushner made in the White House, “he’s sitting there directing traffic around the world,” Ward said. She suggested that Kushner could wield influence behind the scenes as a kind of “shadow secretary of state” or “Kissinger 2.0.”
Kushner worked on a wide range of issues and policies in the Trump administration, including Middle East peace efforts, and developed a relationship with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The de facto Saudi ruler has overseen social and economic reforms in the kingdom, as well as a far-reaching crackdown on dissent, leading to the country becoming known for its abysmal human rights record, CBS News reported.
After Kushner left the White House and moved with his family to Florida, he started a private equity firm that received a reported $2 billion investment from the sovereign wealth fund controlled by Prince Mohammed.
“They’re much richer than they were before they went into government,” Ward told the New York Times, with other observers saying that Kushner is freed of governmental ethical rules.
“And now he’s got a Rolodex of world leaders who are on the phone to him,” Ward also said. “And when he puts the phone down, he can call his father-in-law.”
Over the past several years, Kushner has drawn scrutiny from Democrats for his dealings with Prince Mohammed, most recently in the past week. Reuters reported that he had, on multiple occasions since leaving government, discussed U.S.-Saudi diplomacy concerning Israel with Prince Mohammed.
The Reuters report prompted Ron Wyden, the Democratic chair of the U.S. Senate Finance committee, and Rep. Jamie Raskin to ask the U.S. attorney general to investigate whether Kushner was functioning as an unregistered foreign agent for Saudi Arabia.
“This revelation is deeply …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
