Kushner is married to Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka.
President-elect Donald Trump on Monday appointed his influential son-in-law Jared Kushner as senior White House adviser, rewarding the real estate developer and magazine publisher widely credited as the brains behind Trump’s election.
The 36-year-old Kushner, who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka, will be the youngest top member of the administration, working closely with chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Reports say that Instead of taking a formal White House position Ivanka Trump, who also played a significant role during the presidential campaign, wanted to focus on moving her family from New York to Washington.
“Jared has been a tremendous asset and trusted advisor throughout the campaign and transition and I am proud to have him in a key leadership role in my administration,†Trump said in a statement announcing the appointment.
Even though a 1967 law prohibits government officials from hiring relatives, Mr. Kushner’s lawyer Jamie Gorelick was quoted saying that the law does not apply to the West Wing. She cited a later congressional measure to allow the president “unfettered†and “sweeping†authority in hiring staff.
Kushner, whom Forbes estimates is worth $1.8 billion with his parents and brother, pushed a mid-sized real estate company into high-stakes battlefield of Manhattan. He is the co-owner of Kushner Companies and in 2006 bought the New York Observer newspaper.
Kushner will also forego his salary while serving in the administration and will resign the positions as CEO and publisher.
Kushner rarely speaks to the media but never publicly distanced himself from Mr. Trump’s more provocative stances, including the call for a Muslim-immigration ban and doubts about President Barack Obama’s birthplace.