Donald Trump reportedly blames his son-in-law, White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, for his role in the decision to appoint special counsel Robert Mueller, according to Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman.
On a phone call Tuesday with Breitbart News Executive Chairman and former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon, “Trump blamed Jared Kushner for his role in decisions, specifically the firings of [former National Security Adviser] Mike Flynn and [former FBI Director] James Comey, that led to Mueller’s appointment,” according to a source who was briefed on the call.
On Monday, Mueller indicted Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort on 12 counts — ranging from making false statements to “conspiracy against the United States” — as part of the ongoing, so-called “Russia Investigation.” Richard Gates, Manafort’s deputy, was also charged.
The New York Times reported that Kushner, along with his wife Ivanka Trump, also pushed Trump to hire Manafort, who was needed to fill the spot of Trump’s initial campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, after Ivanka reportedly gave her father an ultimatum to fire him.
While Mueller’s charges bear no immediate connection to Trump or his campaign, Sherman reports that everyone in the West Wing “is freaking out,” with advisers “on edge,” “doing whatever they can not to be ensnared.”
“One person close to Dina Powell and Gary Cohn said they’re making sure to leave rooms if the subject of Russia comes up.”
Regarding Kushner, though, there is particular concern.
“Here’s what Manafort’s indictment tells me,” says former Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg, “Mueller is going to go over every financial dealing of Jared Kushner and the Trump Organization.” “Trump is at 33 percent in Gallup. You can’t go any lower. He’s fucked,” he adds.
Kushner’s finances are already under scrutiny. Breitbart News’ Adam Shaw reports:
Kushner Companies has reportedly become a topic of interest for Mueller as he investigates alleged Russian interference, and the company was subpoenaed for its use of an immigration-for-investment scheme and for promoting the scheme to Chinese investors.
Just this week, Maryland’s attorney general announced an investigation into Kushner’s family business “over allegations of abusive debt collection and disgusting living conditions at several properties,” reports Shaw.
Kushner, who was tasked with a massive portfolio by Trump that includes solving America’s opioid crisis, tackling criminal justice reform, and bringing peace to the Middle East — despite having no experience in any of these areas and achieving virtually no accomplishments in his time in the West Wing — is now reportedly shrinking his role, along with Ivanka, following their repeated terrible advice to the president and “periodic confusion and resentment” caused by their presence.
“Jared is the worst political adviser in the White House in modern history,” Nunberg tells Sherman. “I’m only saying publicly what everyone says behind the scenes at Fox News, in conservative media, and the Senate and Congress.”
Amanda House is Breitbart News’ Deputy Political Editor. You can follow her on Twitter at @AmandaLeeHouse.