Trump appoints his son-in-law’s father as ambassador to France: who is Charles Kushner?
20 May 08:46
US President Donald Trump has announced that he is appointing Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as the next US ambassador to France. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to CNN.
“I am pleased to nominate Charles Kushner of New Jersey to serve as U.S. Ambassador to France. He is an outstanding business leader, philanthropist, and deal maker who will be a strong representative of our country’s interests,” Trump wrote in a post on the Truth Social platform.
The president-elect also noted his connection to Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
“His son, Jared, has worked closely with me in the White House, including on Operation Warp Speed, criminal justice reform, and the Abrahamic Accords,” Trump added in the post.
What is known about Charles Kushner
Charles Kushner is a real estate developer who was pardoned by Trump in 2020 after being convicted on federal charges in 2005.
At that time, the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey was Chris Christie, who in 2019 called Kushner’s case “one of the most heinous crimes” he had ever prosecuted.
In 2005, Kushner pleaded guilty to 16 counts of tax evasion, as well as one count of witness tampering and another of lying to the Federal Election Commission. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
Blackmail scandal
Kushner, while under investigation for illegal campaign contributions, organized blackmail against his brother-in-law William Schulder, a former employee of the company who became a prosecution witness.
As part of the conspiracy, Kushner hired a prostitute to lure Schulder to a motel, where a hidden camera recorded an intimate scene. The recording was then sent to Kushner’s sister, Shulder’s wife. However, the plan failed: the woman who was hired later testified against Kushner.
The role of Trump’s son-in-law
The announcement of Charles Kushner’s appointment came on the heels of Jared Kushner’s statement that he did not plan to hold office in the second Trump administration.
In February, during an event in Miami, he said that he wanted to focus on his private investment firm Affinity Partners.
Nevertheless, according to diplomats and Trump’s allies, Jared Kushner may play an unofficial but important role in Middle East affairs in the new administration.
What is Trump’s son-in-law doing now?
After the end of Trump’s presidential term in 2021, Jared and Ivanka Trump moved to Miami and effectively retired from politics. Jared founded the investment fund Affinity Partners, receiving significant funding from state investment funds in the Gulf countries.
In the first Trump administration, Jared Kushner was involved in most of the key policy initiatives, including immigration reform, relations with China, Middle East policy, and the White House’s response to COVID-19.
