Even Trump Isn't Sure If He Wants Ivanka and Jared Around Anymore
PoliticsJared Kushner is a senior advisor with a downgraded security clearance, Ivanka Trump is a special assistant to the president who thinks it’s rude to ask her questions about her dada, and now even Trump is reportedly starting to question what exactly they’re doing around the White House anymore.
The Associated Press reports that inside sources say there is a lot of murmuring about the bad press surrounding Kushner’s many conflicts of interest, and some angry bloviating coming from the Oval Office. Though the president, of course, thinks all attacks leveled at his son-in-law are “unfair” and that he is a “high-quality person,” he has allegedly wondered if maybe his baby girl and her pencil-shaped husband would both be better off in New York.
After questions arose over former aide Rob Porter’s history of spousal abuse and his level of security clearance, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly tried to save his own ass by ordering a reform of the clearance process; through that reform, Kushner got his embarrassing downgrade. Apparently, the couple took this as a direct attack on their standing at the White House.
Which, honestly, it probably was! Kelly has supposedly been frustrated with the couple and, like you, has no idea what their actual jobs are:
Kelly, in turn, has been angered by what he views as the couple’s freelancing. He blames them for changing Trump’s mind at the last minute and questions what exactly they do all day, according to one White House official and an outside ally. Kushner prevailed in previous power struggles within the White House, including one against former chief strategist Steve Bannon, but allies of the president on the outside openly cheered the power couple’s weakened position.
Those close to the couple say they have no plans to leave, though it’s been suggested Jared might work on Trump’s re-election campaign, eventually. That would require exiting D.C.; meanwhile, they might need to take some time applying ointment at the burn unit after that “freelancers” jab.