Jared Kushner's rise to the White House has apparently been terrible for his family's business


"It was sweet redemption for Charles Kushner last year when his son Jared was named senior White House adviser," The New York Times reports. The elder Kushner had pleaded guilty in 2004 to federal charges stemming from a scheme to entrap his brother-in-law using a prostitute, then served two years "making wallets at a prison camp in Alabama," but his hopes for redemption, even a pardon, due to his son's relationship to President Trump have not panned out, the Times adds. "For the patriarch and his family, the pinnacle of American political power has turned out to be a wellspring of trouble."
The Times runs down some of the Kushner family's "criminal and regulatory inquiries largely rooted in their newfound access to presidential power."
The family's East Coast-based real estate empire is under a fiscal and ethical cloud, shunned by some investors who fear being dragged into the spotlight trained on the Kushner nexus with President Trump. Two major Manhattan properties are on creditors' watch lists, one after foreign investors backed out of a financing deal. [The New York Times]
Jared Kushner's sister, Nicole Kushner Meyer, 34, is under investigation over whether her business pitch to Chinese investors constituted misuse of a visa program for high-dollar investors, and 32-year-old Josh Kushner has reportedly upset his older brother because "has made no secret of the fact that he did not vote for Mr. Trump" and has criticized the Trump administration. Charles Kushner, in an interview with the Times, says business is great and his family is united. You can read more about his rosy outlook and where it may diverge from reality at The New York Times.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Europe's heatwave: the new front line of climate change
In the Spotlight How will the continent adapt to 'bearing the brunt of climate change'?
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off