The Senate Intelligence Committee will question Jared Kushner over relations with Russians

The Senate Intelligence Committee will question President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, over his meetings with Russian officials as part of its ongoing investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, The New York Times reports. Kushner met with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December and later, at Kislyak's request, with Sergey N. Gorkov, the chief of Russian bank Vnesheconombank, which suffered sanctions from the Obama administration after the annexation of Crimea.

Kushner was a member of Trump's transition team and on the surface there are no red flags about his meetings with foreign officials. A government official told the Times that the Senate plans to ask if Kushner "discussed ways to secure additional financing for [the Kushner Companies' office tower on Fifth Avenue] during his meeting with the Russian banker." Kushner had not yet stepped down as chief executive of the company when he met with Gorkov.

White House spokeswoman Hope Hicks confirmed Kushner's meetings, and said Kushner spoke with Kislyak about improving relations between the U.S. and Russia and cooperating on the Middle East. Kislyak later asked for a second meeting with Kushner to "deliver a message," and Kushner sent a deputy in his place. Kislyak told the deputy that he wanted Kushner to meet with the banker, Gorkov. In that meeting, Gorkov discussed the desire for an open dialogue, but Kushner's building and American sanctions did not arise as topics, Hicks said. "It really wasn't much of a conversation," Hicks added.

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Notably, "the Senate panel's decision to question Mr. Kushner would make him the closest person to the president to be called upon in any of the investigations, and the only one currently serving in the White House," the Times reports. Earlier revelations about the Trump administration's conversations with Kislyak have led to former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's resignation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions' recusal from Russian inquiries.

Kushner "isn't trying to hide anything," Hicks said.