The Washington Post reports that the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election (and possible collusion with the Trump campaign) has identified a current White House official as a significant person of interest. The paper hints at who that person might be.
The Washington Post reports that the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election (and possible collusion with the Trump campaign) has « identified a current White House official as a significant person of interest. » The paper hints at who that person might be.
Here’s the Post:
The senior White House adviser under scrutiny by investigators is someone close to the president, according to these people, who would not further identify the official. The revelation comes as the investigation appears to be entering a more overtly active phase, with investigators shifting from work that has remained largely hidden from the public to conducting interviews and using a grand jury to issue subpoenas. The intensity of the probe is expected to accelerate in the coming weeks, the people said. The sources emphasized that investigators remain keenly interested in people who previously wielded influence in the Trump campaign and administration but are no longer part of it, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
So who could the person of interest be? The Post notes that three current high-ranking administration figures have acknowledged having contact with Russian officials before President Trump was inaugurated, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. But the other official, senior adviser and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, is the only one of the three to work in the White House.
One broad issue in Kushner’s portfolio since the campaign has been building relationships with foreign governments. Here’s an excerpt from a recent WEEKLY STANDARD profile of the 36-year-old White House aide:
He’s also played a key role in shaping Trump’s foreign policy, starting during the campaign when he began making connections with figures in other countries to lay the groundwork for a potential presidency. Kushner became an important point of contact for foreign governments during the transition, including China. When Trump, as president-elect, took a phone call in December from the president of Taiwan—suggesting the incoming commander in chief might abandon the longstanding, Beijing-preferred « One China » policy—Kushner successfully pushed for Trump to reaffirm the policy in a phone call with Chinese president Xi Jinping. Many in the administration give Kushner credit for orchestrating Xi’s April visit with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Read the whole thing here .
