Congressional testimony has revealed that Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon met with Saudi and UAE leaders in May 2017 to discuss a blockade of Qatar, a US ally, without informing then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Tillerson, who only learned of the meeting two months ago, told the House foreign affairs committee he was angry and that the State Department's views were not represented.
The meeting helped cement a Trump administration policy favouring Saudi Arabia and the UAE in their dispute with Qatar. This has renewed scrutiny over whether Kushner's family business interests influence his political decisions. Weeks before the blockade, his father, Charles Kushner, had sought financing from a Qatari official for a distressed Manhattan office tower, but was turned down.
Kushner has maintained close ties with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, supporting arms sales and shielding him from blame for journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Concerns about Kushner's foreign contacts and business dealings led to a temporary downgrade of his security clearance, which President Trump later overrode to grant him permanent top-secret access.
Even before Trump took office, Saudi officials assessed that Kushner's lack of Middle East experience and deal-making background made him susceptible to influence. Kushner Companies faced financial pressure from the 666 Fifth Avenue purchase, and efforts to secure bailouts from Chinese and Qatari investors collapsed amid public scrutiny.
