Jared Kushner Traveling To Meet With Saudi Crown Prince

Jared Kushner Image by Getty Images

By Josh Nathan-Kazis February 21, 2019

President Trump’s advisor and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is leaving Washington this weekend for a trip that will include an audience with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, Vanity Fair reported. It will be his first face-to-face with the Saudi leader since the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in October, which U.S. intelligence reportedly believes the prince orchestrated.

Kushner is reported to have a close relationship with the Crown Prince, also known as MBS. The New York Times reported late last year that the two had “private, informal conversations,” which concerned U.S. officials. Kushner reportedly remained a defender of MBS within the White House, even after Khashoggi’s death. The presidential advisor has reportedly pushed for the Saudis to receive a $110 billion military arms deal.

The latest visit, which will also touch down in five other Arab countries, comes as the Trump administration reportedly seeks a deal to sell nuclear technology to the Saudis. It also comes in the lead-up to Israeli elections. Kushner has long promised a peace plan, which is expected to involve the Saudi leadership. The public presentation of the plan is being delayed until after Israeli elections in April.

Contact Josh Nathan-Kazis at [email protected] or on Twitter, @joshnathankazis

Josh Nathan-Kazis is a staff writer for the Forward. He covers charities and politics, and writes investigations and longform.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO