BREAKING: Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner has lost access to President's Daily Brief - two government officials pic.twitter.com/KcNSwqqOr4
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) February 27, 2018
The downgrade means that Kushner, a senior presidential adviser and the husband of President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, will no longer have access to top secret, classified documents, according to CNN.
Kushner was not the only White House staffer affected by the move. In a memo sent last week, access for all staffers with an interim security clearance was also downgraded, according to media reports.
BREAKING: Jared Kushner loses top-secret security clearance, sources tell CNN https://t.co/ZuV0Z9NT0I pic.twitter.com/NLjJjb8bEv
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2018
The move follows the resignation last month of former staff secretary Rob Porter amid allegations of domestic abuse by two former ex-wives. During the media storm that followed the Porter allegations, sources revealed that Porter, Kushner and dozens of other White House aides had regular access to top secret U.S. documents without permanent security clearances.
According to Politico, which first reported the story Tuesday, Kushner's clearance has been reduced to secret and his foreign policy responsibilities are expected to be reduced as well.
New: The White House just downgraded Jared Kushner's access to classified information.
— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) February 27, 2018
Pres. Trump has the power to override the decision, but chose NOT to -- per Politico report.https://t.co/w1pIHDSL9f pic.twitter.com/msViQ9OIEU
For months, Kushner has been unable to pass an extensive FBI background check, something that's required for top security clearances.
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly moved this month to end the temporary clearances of staffers who have been operating under them since last summer, CNN reported.
Credit: Drew Angerer
Credit: Drew Angerer
Kushner's attorney said in a statement that the change in security clearance would "not affect Mr. Kushner's ability to do the very important work he has been assigned by the president," Politico reported.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders would not answer a question about Kushner's security clearance at Tuesday's briefing, but Kelly said last week in a statement that he expected Kushner to continue with his work without any trouble.
"I have full confidence in his ability to continue performing his duties in his foreign policy portfolio including overseeing our Israeli-Palestinian peace effort and serving as an integral part of our relationship with Mexico,” Kelly said
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