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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Trump Names Son-In-Law As A Senior Adviser

President-elect Donald Trump intends to name his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as a senior adviser in the White House, according to multiple news reports.

WASHINGTON (CN) - President-elect Donald Trump on Monday named his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as a senior adviser in the White House.

Kushner's appointment has been long rumored, but was bogged down by concerns that Trump would violate anti-nepotism laws if he appointed his daughter Ivanka's husband to a government job. This remains an open question, as some ethicists read a 1967 anti-nepotism law as preventing agency heads from appointing relatives but remaining silent on the president.

In announcing the decision, Trump said, “Jared has been a tremendous asset and trusted adviser throughout the campaign and transition and I am proud to have him in a key leadership role in my administration.

"He has been incredibly successful, in both business and now politics. He will be an invaluable member of my team as I set and execute an ambitious agenda, putting the American people first,” the president-elect continued.

Reince Priebus, the incoming White House chief of staff is quoted in a Trump transition team statement describing  Kushner as "a visionary with a rare ability to communicate with and assemble broad coalitions of support."

"His entrepreneurial mindset will be a great asset to the team as well as his open mind, adaptability and keen intellect," Priebus said.

Kushner also brings to the White House a tangle of potential conflicts of interest, as the real estate company he runs has cut deals with a number of foreign governments, including a budding one with China reported recently by the New York Times.

The 35 year old has worked closely with Trump's campaign and made waves last month when he admitted the campaign worked out a deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns television stations in 81 markets around the country, for the company to give Trump more favorable coverage in exchange for access.

Kushner said in a statement that his appointment is an honor. “I am energized by the shared passion of the President-elect and the American people and I am humbled by the opportunity to join this very talented team,” he said.

Categories / Government, Politics

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