Arguably one of President Trump’s most destructive moves in the wake of his historic victory a year ago was to install his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner as key advisors in the West Wing.
The apparently different worldview has clashed with that of Trump’s base on a number of occasions, as well as a number of stumbles by the pair who are reportedly known within the West Wing as “the royal family.”
With Kushner’s influence reportedly waning, these seven will make you thankful “Javanka” are falling, not rising in influence in the Trump White House.
Here are some of their worst moments:
Jared Urges Trump to Fire FBI Director James Comey
Kushner, who carries the title of “senior adviser,” was reportedly one of the key voices in pushing for Trump to fire FBI Director James Comey in May. While Comey was no friend of the Trump administration and was known for his showboating and love of the spotlight, Comey’s firing led to the appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel for the investigation into alleged Russian interference.
Breitbart News Executive Chairman and former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon called it the biggest mistake in modern political history.
Mueller, in turn, has taken a broad interpretation of his mandate for the investigation, and negative headlines have dogged the administration for months. Last month three former Trump aides were indicted, including former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Ivanka and Jared “Blindsided” by Trump’s Transgender Ban
Social conservatives cheered when President Trump announced in July that he was banning transgender-identifying individuals from serving in the military. But Kushner and Ivanka, two socially-liberal Manhattanites were reportedly “blindsided” by the move, according to Politico.
The outlet reported that Ms. Trump was “surprised” and first learned of the news when she read it on her cell phone. It was not clear how the inner thoughts of Ms. Trump found their way onto the website of the left-wing outlet.
Ivanka Fails to Shift Trump on Paris
The liberal first daughter was believed to be a staunch supporter of the Obama-era Paris climate change agreement and fought to keep the U.S. in the job-killing deal. According to Politico, Ivanka brought Democrat climate-change peddler Al Gore into Trump Tower to talk it out with her dad and met with former Hollywood heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio to get his opinion on the topic.
Despite telling friends that she was choosing that issue to push her father on, she failed and Trump announced his intention to ditch the deal. Neither Ivanka nor Jared were present at the announcement.
‘Sources’ Gripe to New York Times About Trump’s Stance on Virginia
After violent protests in August by white nationalists and neo-Nazis, as well as counter-protests from so-called “anti-fascists”, in Charlottesville, Virginia, Trump condemned both sides of the protests.
Apparently, Trump’s stance upset not only the left-wing media but Jared and Ivanka. It didn’t take long before the New York Times’ Glenn Thrush cited “sources” that said Jared and Ivanka had called on Trump “to more forcefully denounce” the white nationalists. Seen as the latest in a long line of media leaks that cited either anonymous sources of “sources close to Jared and Ivanka,” it was quickly mocked as a clumsy leak by the “royal family” to distance themselves from the president.
Jared Gets Upset When Trump ‘Undermines’ Him in Mexico
When Trump canceled a meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto in January over Nieto’s refusal to pay for the border wall, it somehow leaked to the media that Kushner was “furious” that his efforts were being “undermined.”
“Kushner was fucking furious,” an anonymous source told Vanity Fair. “I’d never once heard him say he was angry throughout the entire campaign. But he was furious.”
Jared Encourages Trump to back Luther Strange in Alabama
When the establishment-backed Sen. Luther Strange (R-AL) went up against the outsider, “America First” Judge Roy Moore, one may have expected Trump to back Moore. Instead, he backed the doomed candidate backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
But according to Politico, it was Kushner who made the push to persuade Trump to back him. “Trump was encouraged to pick Strange before the August primary by son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner as well as other aides,” the outlet reported.
Trump had seemed to recognize he had made a bad decision even before a ballot was cast, telling a crowd in Huntsville: “I might have made a mistake” in endorsing Strange. He also promised to campaign for Moore if he won.
Jared and Ivanka Work to Kill LGBT Rights Order
In February, Politico (an outlet who regularly snags the inner machinations of the Kushner/Ivanka machine) reported that the pair helped kill off an order that would have overturned a 2014 Obama-era executive order preventing LGBT discrimination in the workplace.
Once again, “sources close to Kushner and Ivanka Trump” were cited for the information indicating their preference for a “clear statement” upholding the Obama-era order.
Adam Shaw is a Breitbart News politics reporter based in New York.
@ Ted Belman:
Every one of Trump’s main hires are seriously flawed WRT his stated campaign agenda none on board loyal or supportive of the Trump agenda NONE!! Who advised him on his picks? His worse choice to date seems to be the WIMP impotent Sessions who stabbed Trump in the back and also from the front.
Firing Comey is a bad move only because Sessions recused himself and it’s a safe bet he knew he would have to recuse himself when he took the job especially after the hard time he had in getting the nomination approved in congress. He double crossed Trump for a job he coveted and allowed the circus with Mueller to proceed knowing the potential and real negative consequences it could have to the presidency and Trump personally.
A year into the presidency he has made no move to clear the Obama deep state in the DOJ and FBI……. Yes Bannon has a score to settle withe Javanka but they are not the main problem . The main problem is Trump is dumb, trusting and has terrible judgement, that said, it seems to conflict with his very keen & excellent political instincts.
Personally I never thought Trump really believed he would win nor do I think he really wanted to win and wining he was totally unprepared for the job. He brought his kids with him because he really didn’t have anyone else he could trust or rely upon and those who could have filled that requirement like Bannon, Bolton Rudy G and some others he rejected for positions and chose disloyal liberal Dems and establishment RINOS instead?
He can only blame himself for any failures and dysfunction in his admin to date.
His moves in Syria is forcig a war between Israel and Iran with Russia on our door step and I don’t trust Trump because his stupid moves in Syria has paved the way to ensuring that a war will be inevitable. Iran deal still in place still screwing around with Peace crap here and I think he has lost the confidence of the Saudis too.
They fly in the face of his agenda rather than support it.
Having said this, I recognize that this is a hit piece encouraged by Bannon.
For instance, nothing wrong with asking for Comey to be fired or with being “blindsided” on the transgender ban.
I think we ask too much that they publically support everything he says and does. They are entitled to distance themselves in word but not in action.
These instances are very minor.
@ Edgar G.:
I think Trump brought his liberal daughter and son-in-law into the WH in order for them to bring some of their liberal friends into the Trump camp. Obviously it didn’t work. Once a liberal always a liberal.
There was nothing wrong with the advice to fire Comey, he should be in the dock in court right now. The big mistake was appointing Muller, at Comey’s suggestion, and I don’t know what influence Kushner had on that. Muller should also be charged and heavily fined and serving say, 5-10 years behind bars.
From this report it doesn’t look as if they were particularly successful in blocking Trump from doing what he chose.
And “article” not worth printing nor reading. Gossip column material.