Trump's chief of staff trying to rein in Jared Kushner
US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner is commonly referred to as the "secretary of everything." Trump has reportedly put him in charge of responsibilities ranging from brokering peace in the middle-east to revamping the federal government. However, John Kelly, Trump's chief-of-staff, is now reportedly trying to clip Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump's influence in the White House. Here's more.
What are Ivanka and Kushner's roles in the Trump administration?
Ivanka and Kushner are generally perceived as influential advisers to Trump and the voices of reason within the administration. As renowned talk-show host, John Oliver recounts in an earlier episode of "Last Week tonight," Trump has dumped on Kushner a horde of responsibilities, including tackling the opioid crisis and reforming the criminal justice system. Meanwhile, Ivanka serves as an 'unpaid assistant' to the President.
What does Kelly want with Ivanka and Kushner?
Kelly wants to bring in discipline and order among the White House staff. Reportedly, Kelly wants Kushner to find a suitable position in the White House chain-of-command and report directly to him. This was a condition Kelly put forth before accepting the chief-of-staff position. Meanwhile, Kelly has denied that he wants Ivanka and Jared ousted from the White House.
Is Kushner's role being relegated?
Kushner's allies note that he is "seen and heard a lot less" these days. According to them, this is in line with Kushner's general tendency to "stay in the background and not seek the limelight." Moreover, he recently came under the scanner for using personal e-mail for conducting government business, making him a potential subject of interest in the ongoing Russia investigation.
Kushner seems happy with his changing role
In a recent interview with the Washington Post, Kushner stated that his "number one priority is a high-functioning White House." Kushner's allies opine that the change of role is helping him focus on work better. Moreover, Trump continues to hold him in high regard. Under current circumstances, Kelly's efforts to "clip his wings" are unlikely to affect his practical role.
