Jared Kushner on Saudi Arabia
TL;DR
Jared Kushner has cultivated a strong, personally-driven diplomatic and financial relationship with Saudi Arabia's leadership.
Key Points
He helped broker the $110 billion arms deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia during his time as a senior White House advisor.
Kushner’s firm, Affinity Partners, secured a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund six months after he left office in January 2021.
He helped negotiate the GCC Summit agreement in January 2021 that ended the Saudi-led blockade against Qatar.
Summary
Jared Kushner established and maintained a close, foundational relationship with Saudi leadership, particularly the Crown Prince, during his tenure as a White House advisor. This relationship was central to brokering the Abraham Accords, which normalized ties between Israel and several Arab nations, including achieving a breakthrough in the Qatar diplomatic crisis. He leveraged this personal rapport to advance key foreign policy objectives for the administration he served.
Following his departure from public office, Kushner continued to engage financially with the Kingdom, securing a significant investment of $2 billion from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund for his private equity firm, Affinity Partners. This substantial, early-stage backing occurred only months after leaving government, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the leveraging of diplomatic access for private financial gain. Despite these ethical questions, he remains an influential figure expected to continue working on Middle East diplomacy, including potential Saudi-Israeli normalization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jared Kushner views Saudi Arabia as a crucial partner for advancing U.S. foreign policy goals in the Middle East. He cultivated a very close diplomatic relationship with the Kingdom's leadership to facilitate deals like the Abraham Accords. Since leaving office, his financial ties suggest a continued focus on deepening economic engagement with Saudi entities.
Concerns have been raised because Kushner's private investment firm received a $2 billion investment from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund shortly after he left the White House. Critics suggest the timing implies he benefited financially from the close relationship he established while overseeing Middle East policy. The investment came despite warnings from the fund's internal advisors about the firm's inexperience.
Jared Kushner was a primary envoy for Middle East diplomacy and a steadfast defender of the Saudi ruler during the first Trump administration. He was instrumental in facilitating normalization agreements between Israel and Arab states, which included key Saudi alignment. He has also discussed ongoing U.S.-Saudi diplomacy with the Crown Prince after leaving his advisory role.
Sources3
Rep. Garcia: Why Did Saudi Government Give Kushner $2 Billion?
Jared Kushner is back – and so are big questions about his financial ties
Jared Kushner - Wikipedia
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.