President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is now also his right-hand man.
Like Donald Trump, Jared Kushner was born not quite into the Manhattan elite, but was likewise given an early opportunity to run his family’s property business. Kushner aggressively expanded its operations: In the past decade, the company purchased nearly $7 billion-worth of real estate, mostly in New York City.
In 2009, Kushner married Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and the two swiftly became the ultimate power couple. The family connection eventually gave Kushner a major role in Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, with Kushner relying on his private networks and resources to help get Trump elected.
So it wasn’t a surprise that the son-in-law was chosen as the president’s senior adviser, yet many ethics experts find fault in this decision. The question of whether Kushner’s appointment presents a violation of the federal anti-nepotism law has been raised by many critics, but the Justice Department concluded that it was valid on the basis that the law only covers those in an “executive” agency.
Considering the ethical dilemma of Kushner’s position, and noting that he has had no prior political experience, he will be under the watchful eye of the public as he navigates his numerous roles and portfolios he has been presented with at the White House.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.
Photo Credit: aluxum
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