Jared Kushner under FBI investigation as probe enters Trump family circle
Jared Kushner has been by Donald Trump's side for much of the President's tour of the Middle East and Europe. Photo: Getty
Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will cooperate with federal investigators looking into links between Russia and the Trump campaign, his lawyer says.
Mr Kushner’s attorney, Jamie Gorelick, made a statement after reports the FBI was investigating meetings which Mr Kushner had in 2016 with a Russian official and a Russian business figure.
“Mr Kushner previously volunteered to share with Congress what he knows about these meetings. He will do the same if he is contacted in connection with any other inquiry,” the statement said.
The news comes after The Washington Post last week reported that a senior White House figure close to the President was “a significant focus” of the probe, but the Post did not name Mr Kushner at the time.
NBC News has cited unidentified investigators who believe Mr Kushner has “significant information” relevant to the FBI probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Media have been careful to point out that the revelation does not mean Mr Kushner is suspected of a crime, but the development does mean the FBI inquiry has penetrated the Trump family circle.
Mr Kushner is not a target of the inquiry per se, but is the only current White House official known to be considered a key person in the probe, The Post noted.
Mr Kushner is considered a vital and respected figure in the White House and has been by Mr Trump’s side for much of the President’s tour of the Middle East and Europe.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner attend an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican this week. Photo: Getty
The investigation will focus on a series of meetings held by Mr Kushner, including a meeting between Mr Kushner and Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak and a meeting he held with Russian banker Sergey Gorkov.
The FBI’s interest in former Trump aides Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn is different – they are formally considered subjects of the investigation, according to the officials quoted by NBC.
The FBI and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post.
The US intelligence community concluded in January that Moscow tried to sway the November vote in Mr Trump’s favour.
However, Russia has denied involvement while Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any interference.
Mr Kushner has played a key role in coordinating Mr Trump’s contact with foreign leaders and has been talking with foreign government officials himself.
The Post reported that at the time of the December meetings, Mr Trump already had won the 2016 presidential election.
Contacts between people on the transition team and foreign governments can be routine, but the meetings and phone calls with the Russians were not made public at the time.
In early December, Mr Kushner met the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, in New York and later sent a deputy to meet with Mr Kislyak.
Mr Flynn was also present at the early-December meeting, and later that month, Mr Flynn called Mr Kislyak to discuss US-imposed sanctions against Russia.
Mr Flynn initially misrepresented the conversation, even to Vice President Pence — ultimately prompting his sacking from the White House.
Mr Kushner also met in December with Mr Gorkov, the head of Vnesheconombank, which has been the subject of US after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its support of separatists in eastern Ukraine.