President-elect Donald Trump has selected his son-in-law Jared Kushner to serve as a senior adviser to him in the White House, aggravating the ethical concerns that have already cast a shadow on the incoming administration.
Mr. Kushner will work with incoming chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Stephen Bannon, "to execute President-elect Trump's agenda," said a statement from the presidential transition team. The three were often conflicting power centres in the campaign that led to Mr. Trump’s victory and the arrangement is set to continue into the White House.
"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," Mr. Trump said of his son-in-law, a real estate developer and newspaper owner. Mr. Kushner oversaw a highly effective and stealth digital strategy for the campaign and has reportedly influenced other appointments made by the President-elect already. "It is an honor to serve our country,” Mr. Kushner said.
Mr. Trump has said in interviews after his election that his son-in-law could play a crucial role in West Asia. “He knows the region, knows the people, knows the players,” Mr. Trump told NYT last November, suggesting that Mr. Kushner, a Jew who grew up in New Jersey and studied at Harvard, could be his troubleshooter for the region. The statement announcing his selection did not specify his job profile but said, “together, Bannon, Priebus and Kushner have formed an effective leadership team.”
An anti-nepotism law made in 1968 bars a public official from appointing a relative in an “agency” that comes under his jurisdiction. Legal opinion is not unanimous on the definition of “agency” and a court judgment has said White House staffs do not fall under the restriction. Mr. Kushner will not draw a salary and will divest his investments to avoid conflicts of interests, said his legal counsel.
Democratic lawmakers have been crying foul over the potential conflicts of interests involving several of Mr. Trump’s appointees. The Republican-majority Senate is scheduled to hold confirmation hearings for nine new appointees this week, which the Democrats say is hurried and circumventing procedures. Mr. Kushner has been a lifelong Democrat and a donor. The wealthy Kushner family has close ties with several senior leaders of the party.
