Jared Kushner defended his business dealings after leaving government with the Saudi crown prince who was implicated in the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, the AP reports.
He also defended Prince Mohammed bin Salman when asked if he believed U.S. intelligence reports that the prince approved the 2018 killing of Khashoggi.
Said Kushner: “Are we really still doing this?”
He added: “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.”
"Come on guys. I know I never answered for the crimes I commited to get a 2 billion dollar payday, but that was like, 6 years ago. Are you seriously going to hound me for turning over US secrets to Saudi Arabia for money while working directly with the President of the United States? Like, come on now. That's so rude."
NEW YORK (AP) — Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s former White House adviser and his son-in-law, defended on Tuesday his business dealings after leaving government with the Saudi crown prince who was implicated in the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
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, who has overseen social and economic reforms and a far-reaching crackdown on dissent in the kingdom.
After Kushner left the White House, he started a private equity firm that received a reported $2 billion investment from the sovereign wealth fund controlled by Prince Mohammed, drawing scrutiny from Democrats.
Kushner said he had not seen the intelligence report released in 2021 that concluded the crown prince likely approved Khashoggi’s killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
He stood by the Trump administration’s policies and called it “one of the greatest compliments” that President Joe Biden backed away from his initial stance to shun Saudis for human rights violations to instead work with the crown prince on issues like oil production and security in the region.
Kushner also said he is not interested in rejoining the White House if Trump wins the 2024 presidential election, saying he was focused on his investment business and his living with his family in Florida out of the public eye.
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