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Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Trump, has played a key role among the Saudis and the Middle East, despite his lack of experience. Now he is again at the center of the exam.
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has established close ties with Jared Kushner, a close adviser to President Trump and son-in-law during Kushner's stay at the White House. This relationship is now the subject of further examination after the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi.
NPR White House journalist Ayesha Rascoe is here to tell us more about Kushner's role in shaping US foreign policy, including vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia. Hello Ayesha.
AYESHA RASCOE, BYLINE: Hello.
SHAPIRO: What can you tell us about Jared Kushner's relationship with Mohammed bin Salman?
RASCOE: We know they've had at least five in-person meetings since Trump took office. Their first meeting at the White House took place in March 2017 and they seemed to be well heard. They are both in their thirties and are obviously in very powerful positions. It's Kushner who would have convinced Trump to travel to Saudi Arabia for his first trip abroad. This is unheard of. Presidents usually go to Canada or Mexico first. And Kushner – he does not speak much in public, but in a speech celebrating the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem this year, he verified that his name was Saudi Arabia as the one of the Middle East countries in search of reforms.
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JARED KUSHNER: From Israel to Jordan, from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, via Jordan, many leaders are fighting to modernize their country and improve the lives of their people.
RASCOE: So it's a relationship that he really cultivated and he promoted this idea that the Saudis were progressing positively.
SHAPIRO: Jared Kushner has a big wallet at the White House. How did he become the Saudi Arabia resource person specifically for the Trump administration?
RASCOE: It's a little surprising because he does not have a lot of experience in foreign policy. He was obviously in real estate before that. But President Trump – when he came to the White House, he did not have that stature – this important pool of diplomats in his team. And during the campaign, he really relied on Kushner, and that went on as president. So, a big part of Kushner's portfolio is peace in the Middle East, peace in the Middle East. And the conclusion of this agreement in Saudi Arabia could play an important role in this process. US Ambassador to the United States Nikki Haley recently came to the Oval Office and spoke about Kushner's role in shaping this peace plan and other trade agreements.
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NIKKI HALEY: I can not say enough about Jared and Ivanka. Jared is such a hidden genius that nobody understands.
RASCOE: So Haley had good things to say about Kushner and Trump. But it was reported that the former Secretary of State, former Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, was not satisfied with Kushner's influence on the foreign politic. And Kushner and Trump – they really approach international relations in a different way. They focus mainly on personal chemistry and personality.
SHAPIRO: So now, with this controversy about which the White House is constantly asking questions about this and where the Secretary of State has gone to Saudi Arabia, where are the things today with Kushner and the Crown Prince?
RASCOE: We do not really know. This is not clear yet. Kushner was one of the White House officials who had reached out to Mohammed bin Salman after Khashoggi's disappearance. The White House said he and other officials urged Saudi Arabia to ensure that their investigation is open and transparent. But for the moment, the crown prince denies having knowledge of this disappearance.
One of Kushner's critics has been – on the part of experienced diplomats, it is that, as he lacks experience, it can be easy to handle and that foreign leaders manipulate him. I spoke to Brett Bruen, who was director of global engagement for the Obama White House, and he expressed concern that Kushner would serve as a Back Trump channel for leaders types. outside of the national security chain.
SHAPIRO: And then there is the question of financial ties between the Kushner family, Trump and the Saudis.
RASCOE: Yes, and a lot of that is not clear because we do not have President Trump's tax returns, and some are unclear because some of these transactions are not transparent. But we know that President Trump said during the election campaign that he loved the Saudis because they bought him for $ 40 million and $ 50 million in apartments. In addition, it has been reported that Kushner or associated companies may be seeking funds from Saudi funds.
SHAPIRO: Ayesha Rascoe from NPR, thank you very much.
RASCOE: Thank you.
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