Congress Can Do More to Curb Kushner’s Conflicts of Interest
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
Original Source
A new congressional investigation into Jared Kushner's conflicts of interest reveals that his investment firm, financed primarily by Gulf monarchies, has become a major shareholder in Israeli military suppliers—all while he negotiates Middle East peace deals as the president's son-in-law.
Congress Can Do More to Curb Kushner’s Conflicts of Interest
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Argument
An expert’s point of view on a current event.
Congress Can Do More to Curb Kushner’s Conflicts of Interest
No one should be getting paid by the countries they are conducting diplomacy with, especially not the president’s son-in-law.
By **Sarah Leah Whitson**, a lawyer and a co-author of the recently published *From Apartheid to Democracy: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine*.
!Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner prior to their talks in Moscow on September 5.
*Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner prior to their talks in Moscow on September 5.*
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner prior to their talks in Moscow on September 5. Gavriil GRIGOROV / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
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October 12, 2026, 9:09 AM
On Oct. 6, the ranking member of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, Robert Garcia, opened a new investigation into Jared Kushner’s possible conflicts of interest. The president’s son-in-law holds dual roles, as a “volunteer” diplomatic negotiator for President Donald Trump, and the owner of the increasingly lucrative investment firm Affinity Partners, financed overwhelmingly by Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf monarchies. The investigation came on the heels of startling revelations by CNN that Affinity Partners had become the largest shareholder in an Israeli conglomerate, Phoenix Financial, that in turn holds shares in at least nine Israeli military suppliers—all while Kushner was tasked with helping to negotiate a peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
Trump’s Second Term
Ongoing reports and analysis
This wasn’t the first time that there had been warnings about Kushner’s conflicts of interest. In April 2022, the nonprofit organization DAWN urged the U.S. Justice Department and Congress to investigate revelations that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had invested $2 billion in Kushner’s newly launched fund. Kushner had established Affinity Partners just six months earlier, on Jan. 21, 2021—one day after the first Trump administration ended and Kushner left his formal White House position. Riyadh’s investment fund was initially by far Affinity’s largest investor and possibly remains its largest.
On Oct. 6, the ranking member of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, Robert Garcia, opened a new investigation into Jared Kushner’s possible conflicts of interest. The president’s son-in-law holds dual roles, as a “volunteer” diplomatic negotiator for President Donald Trump, and the owner of the increasingly lucrative investment firm Affinity Partners, financed overwhelmingly by Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf monarchies. The investigation came on the heels of startling revelations by CNN that Affinity Partners had become the largest shareholder in an Israeli conglomerate, Phoenix Financial, that in turn holds shares in at least nine Israeli military suppliers—all while Kushner was tasked with helping to negotiate a peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
Trump’s Second Term
Ongoing reports and analysis
This wasn’t the first time that there had been warnings about Kushner’s conflicts of interest. In April 2022, the nonprofit organization DAWN urged the U.S. Justice Department and Congress to investigate revelations that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had invested $2 billion in Kushner’s newly launched fund. Kushner had established Affinity Partners just six months earlier, on Jan. 21, 2021—one day after the first Trump administration ended and Kushner left his formal White House position. Riyadh’s investment fund was initially by far Affinity’s largest investor and possibly remains its largest.
In June 2022, Rep. Carolyn Maloney opened an investigation into whether Kushner had traded on his government position to secure the Saudi billions and whether his financial interests had influenced U.S. policy. Sen. Ron Wyden followed with another investigation launched in 2024, examining Affinity’s foreign-government payments, alleged disclosure loopholes, and possible circumvention of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
As a result of these investigations, Congress learned a great deal about Affinity, including the fact that as of March 2024, at least 99 percent of Affinity’s then-$3 billion under management came from foreign sources, principally Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. These were both governments that Kushner had strongly supported while working in the first Trump administration, and they were now paying his firm tens of millions of dollars annually in investment advisory fees.
During Trump’s first term, Kushner had pushed for approvals of massive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He also promoted his close friend Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington as a reformer, helped to rehabilitate the crown prince’s tattered reputation following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and reportedly even provided Mohammed bin Salman wi
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Argument: Congress Can Do More to Curb Kushner’s Conflicts of Interest
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Argument
An expert’s point of view on a current event.
Congress Can Do More to Curb Kushner’s Conflicts of Interest
No one should be getting paid by the countries they are conducting diplomacy with, especially not the president’s son-in-law.
By **Sarah Leah Whitson**, a lawyer and a co-author of the recently published *From Apartheid to Democracy: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine*.
!Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner prior to their talks in Moscow on September 5.
*Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner prior to their talks in Moscow on September 5.*
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner prior to their talks in Moscow on September 5. Gavriil GRIGOROV / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
1. Get audio access with any FP subscription.
Subscribe Now
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October 12, 2026, 9:09 AM
On Oct. 6, the ranking member of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, Robert Garcia, opened a new investigation into Jared Kushner’s possible conflicts of interest. The president’s son-in-law holds dual roles, as a “volunteer” diplomatic negotiator for President Donald Trump, and the owner of the increasingly lucrative investment firm Affinity Partners, financed overwhelmingly by Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf monarchies. The investigation came on the heels of startling revelations by CNN that Affinity Partners had become the largest shareholder in an Israeli conglomerate, Phoenix Financial, that in turn holds shares in at least nine Israeli military suppliers—all while Kushner was tasked with helping to negotiate a peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
Trump’s Second Term
Ongoing reports and analysis
This wasn’t the first time that there had been warnings about Kushner’s conflicts of interest. In April 2022, the nonprofit organization DAWN urged the U.S. Justice Department and Congress to investigate revelations that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had invested $2 billion in Kushner’s newly launched fund. Kushner had established Affinity Partners just six months earlier, on Jan. 21, 2021—one day after the first Trump administration ended and Kushner left his formal White House position. Riyadh’s investment fund was initially by far Affinity’s largest investor and possibly remains its largest.
On Oct. 6, the ranking member of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, Robert Garcia, opened a new investigation into Jared Kushner’s possible conflicts of interest. The president’s son-in-law holds dual roles, as a “volunteer” diplomatic negotiator for President Donald Trump, and the owner of the increasingly lucrative investment firm Affinity Partners, financed overwhelmingly by Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf monarchies. The investigation came on the heels of startling revelations by CNN that Affinity Partners had become the largest shareholder in an Israeli conglomerate, Phoenix Financial, that in turn holds shares in at least nine Israeli military suppliers—all while Kushner was tasked with helping to negotiate a peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
Trump’s Second Term
Ongoing reports and analysis
This wasn’t the first time that there had been warnings about Kushner’s conflicts of interest. In April 2022, the nonprofit organization DAWN urged the U.S. Justice Department and Congress to investigate revelations that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had invested $2 billion in Kushner’s newly launched fund. Kushner had established Affinity Partners just six months earlier, on Jan. 21, 2021—one day after the first Trump administration ended and Kushner left his formal White House position. Riyadh’s investment fund was initially by far Affinity’s largest investor and possibly remains its largest.
In June 2022, Rep. Carolyn Maloney opened an investigation into whether Kushner had traded on his government position to secure the Saudi billions and whether his financial interests had influenced U.S. policy. Sen. Ron Wyden followed with another investigation launched in 2024, examining Affinity’s foreign-government payments, alleged disclosure loopholes, and possible circumvention of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
As a result of these investigations, Congress learned a great deal about Affinity, including the fact that as of March 2024, at least 99 percent of Affinity’s then-$3 billion under management came from foreign sources, principally Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. These were both governments that Kushner had strongly supported while working in the first Trump administration, and they were now paying his firm tens of millions of dollars annually in investment advisory fees.
During Trump’s first term, Kushner had pushed for approvals of massive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He also promoted his close friend Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington as a reformer, helped to rehabilitate the crown prince’s tattered reputation following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and reportedly even provided Mohammed bin Salman wi
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Source: Foreign Policy
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