Jared Kushner only got a security clearance because Trump ordered it

Jared Kushner Iraq

Jared Kushner is an idiot. He’s the kind of idiot who impresses Donald Trump, which is arguably the worst kind of idiot. Kushner became a senior advisor to Donald Trump in the White House on Day 1. Kushner’s policy prerogative was a catch-all: he was going to fix the economy, solve Middle East peace, create a comprehensive military strategy for American interests abroad and he was also going to be the Trump administration’s bigliest diplomat. Jared’s first acts in the administration involved an attempt to launch a backdoor channel to Vladimir Putin and a massive cover up of the Trump family’s and Kushner family’s Russian and Russian-adjacent business interests. For all of this, Kushner didn’t have a security clearance. Because even though Kushner is the most brilliant person Trump has ever met, Jared Kushner is really stupid and bad at paperwork. He can’t fill out forms properly. He “forgets” to include reams of documentation all the time. And so Jared Kushner still had access to extremely sensitive intelligence all while on a half-baked interim security clearance.

At some point over the past year, the stories about Jared’s lack of a permanent security clearance died down. No one believed that Jared had actually gotten his paperwork in order, and no one believed that Jared was suddenly a perfect candidate for a top-level clearance either. So what changed? Well, Donald Trump ordered his intelligence people to just give Kushner the clearance.

President Trump early last year directed his then-chief of staff, John F. Kelly, to give presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner a top-secret security clearance — a move that made Kelly so uncomfortable that he documented the request in writing, according to current and former administration officials.

After Kushner, a senior White House adviser, and his wife, Ivanka Trump, pressured the president to grant Kushner the long-delayed clearance, Trump instructed Kelly to fix the problem, according to a person familiar with Kelly’s account, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. Kelly told colleagues that the decision to give Kushner top-secret clearance was not supported by career intelligence officials, and he memorialized Trump’s request in an internal memo, according to two people familiar with the memo and the then-chief of staff’s concerns.

It is unclear how Kelly responded to Trump’s directive. But by May, Kushner had been granted a permanent security clearance to view top-secret material — a move that followed months of concern inside the White House about his inability to secure such access.

Kushner’s attorney publicly described the process as one that had gone through normal channels, a description that Kelly did not view as accurate, according to a person familiar with his reaction.

[From The Washington Post]

What’s amazing about this is that… I mean, of course. Of course Donald Trump ordered intelligence agencies to provide his moron son-in-law with a high-access clearance. This family is 100% nepotism. No one doubted that. But again, it was all about the lies. Jared lied about it. Bigly lied about it. And precious Ivanka lied about JUST LAST MONTH. These people.

Trump Cabinet Meeting

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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82 Responses to “Jared Kushner only got a security clearance because Trump ordered it”

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  1. Incredulous says:

    Does he ever look like not a mannequin?

    • Veronica S. says:

      What do you mean “look like?” I’m not fully convinced he’s actually human.

      • Red Snapper says:

        Tom Riddle before he was Voldemort.

        h/t another commenter whose name I forget.

      • Raina says:

        Lololol!! And lol to being the most brilliant person Trump has ever met. Clearly, when he read the old orange a bedtime story, it must have really impressed him. He went to sleep without counting tweets and slept like the big fat bitch baby he is.
        Also, why is Ivanka heralded as anywhere near intelligent?? Like attracts like. The whole family is like ‘What’s eating Gibert Grape” the Orange edition.

      • Heather says:

        From Trump’s point of view Kushner is family. And he would do a lot for his family. As his dad did for him. Always support the family no matter how dim they are.
        That is dynastic thinking. Dumb dynastic thinking but dynastic nevertheless. Not meritocratic. Not even legal. But Trump.

    • Beth says:

      He looks like a mannequin of a 12 year old little boy. He’s creepy looking

    • Lara K says:

      Not nearly good looking enough.

      But frankly all I notice is that chin. It’s creepy AF.

      • Erinn says:

        LOL I’m currently coding out a website for a client who makes fancy hats – the kind that would be worn at horse races and by the royals. As much as Kushner creeps me out he is not even comparable to the nightmare fuel of the mannequins this client uses.

    • smcollins says:

      He looks like a serial killer. His dark, soulless eyes give me the creeps.

      • Raina says:

        This creepy bitch looks like a Puppet who possibly? Came to life. The pink lips, the red cheeks, the strings that pull his shoulders up…ughhh scary

    • Va Va Kaboom says:

      I’m starting to think “mannequin face” is his version of Ivanka’s “baby whisper”. There’s also probably a little Botox going on there too…

    • MC2 says:

      He’s an irl marionette, you guys.

    • Feebee says:

      A eunuchquin

    • Jensays says:

      Here to upvote RedSnapper’s Tom Riddle take on Jared. He looks JUST like him… and he hangs with Nagini. If the story fits it fits. This administration runs like the Ministry of Magic as well- where do the similarities end?!?

    • Justwastingtime says:

      The real question is Botox alone, or Botox and filler? We already know whether he should go to jail.

  2. Aims says:

    The whole family is seriously f*cked. They’re all delusional. Nobody in that family has a relationship with the truth. Every single one of them are screwed in the head.

  3. Veronica S. says:

    My God, the privilege of wealth. Imagine going through life being this goddamn incompetent and never having to answer for it.

    • Becks1 says:

      This is something I keep coming back to, all the other shenanigans and BS aside. They are stupid and incompetent and have never had to answer for it before.

      Also, they have no shame. I wasn’t a Kelly fan, but can you imagine telling a former general that he should give a security clearance to your son in law because he really wants one? and that’s just fine and dandy and normal? Can you imagine being Jared, and being in the same room as some of these really smart and experienced career intelligence officials or diplomats, and you’re just like….hi, I’m Jared! I’m here because I married Ivanka!

      No.shame.

    • Elkie says:

      And then telling the peasants how grateful they should be to have to fight tooth and nail for everything they have, because no-one wants things given to them for free…

      …except multi-million dollar tax-free inheritances. Obviously.

    • CheckThatPrivilege says:

      That double standard is so corrosive to national morale and well-being — that people like him suffer scarcely any consequences (and actually are rewarded) while the rest of us would be in prison for so much less. He’s just like Ivanka, another overconfident, self-entitled trust-fund baby born on third who smugly thinks he hit a triple. I loathe this toxic family of parasites.

    • Harryg says:

      Yup, they are like the Saudi royals. Entitled clueless greedy morons.

  4. Jerusha says:

    We’ve always known that. Now the question is what will the spineless Rethugs do about it? What’s that you say? Nothing? You’re probably right. But, it’s always amusing to see how far Li’l Linds will try to shove his nose up trump’s lardass. Poor guy, orphaned when McCain died and had to find another daddy.
    House-time for a little sitdown with ball-less Ken.

    • Esmom says:

      Yes. My question is when and how does his clearance gets revoked? Because this afternoon would not be soon enough.

  5. Kitten says:

    Like father, like daughter. Nagini certainly learned from the best.

    • Lightpurple says:

      One of the reasons they knew Tom Riddle was lying about his assets on the forms was because Nagini had different answers to the same questions. And they both were given numerous opportunities to correct the problems and they still kept getting it wrong.

      The dynamic duo is currently on a tour visiting murderers in the Middle East.

      These two imbeciles have access to classified security intelligence, which they review on unsecured servers in their home where they have 24 hour nannies, who are Chinese nationals and completely unvetted by our intelligence agencies. Yes, Xi knows everything Jared knows, probably more because Xi isn’t a moron.

      • Cay says:

        Nicely stated.

      • Kitten says:

        SMDH absolutely galling. These two people, who claim that they got where they are through sheer hard work and not via privilege, entitlement, and daddy’s money are not fooling anyone. But this is what Trumo wants: he wants to run this administration like foreign dictators. It’s why he employes his family and rich American elites. He wants to emulate Putin and his Russian oligarchs. It’s never been about *America First* or even doing the bare necessity to benefit America and our foreign interests. He’s just here to further his brand and line his pockets and his daughter and her husband are no different.

        I seriously can’t wait until this nightmare is over.

      • adastraperaspera says:

        If this were a movie, I’d love the suspense. But in real life it’s absolutely terrifying. I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to track down all the state secrets they’re selling. We just have to get them out of there.

  6. lower case lila says:

    At some point, a man/woman adult reaches a place in their life , where they realize they are too old to have their parents (or in-laws) pull strings to get them something they can’t earn on their own. Jared still isn’t there and it must be kind of embarrassing at his age.

    • Jerusha says:

      It’s obvious the whole Kriminal Klan is embarrassment proof. I doubt any one of them has ever had a moment of self reflection or lain awake at night thinking, “What am I doing with my life?”

      • Esmom says:

        I tend to agree. Can’t shame the shameless. Which seems to apply to all of these amoral buffoons.

    • Kitten says:

      That kind of dependency is really not unusual for rich people though.
      I work for a very successful, family-owned agency that’s been so lucrative that the owner is reportedly worth 80 million dollars. He’s pushing 90 years old and still comes into work every day (sigh) & his son is 50 and the president of the company. The father does absolutely EVERYTHING for his grandkids, some of whom are college-aged and young adults. You wouldn’t believe the stories I could tell you (and I have MANY) about the very rich and how they really do operate in a different world from the rest of us.

      I honestly feel a bit bad for the kids because aside from the financial dependency, they’ve also been coddled for their entire lives to the point where they lack real-world, everyday skills that most of us developed as young adults. They literally can’t do anything on their own– and I mean ANYTHING. Like, the old man will call the insurance company for them if they get in a car accident or call their landlord if the neighbor is too noisy or call the dentist if they have a loose filling, etc etc.

      A couple weeks ago it was a huge crisis because someone pissed on Jr’s apartment door (he lives in a fancy downtown apt complex that is paid for by grandpa) and our office had the pleasure of listening to several angry phone calls from the old man to building management. This is also a familiar pattern: very rich people tend to become outraged when their wealth doesn’t insulate them from the everyday irritations that the rest of us peons have to deal with.

      The past decade or so working here have been a real education for me in terms of understanding lifestyles of the rich and famous.

      • Esmom says:

        Wow. As the parent of two young adults, this was extra interesting to read. I’ve seen this same phenomenon on my college freshman’s parent page on FB. So many kids, presumably not all super wealthy, relying on their parents to do and figure everything out for them. It’s really insane, actually.

        And a college campus doesn’t even really require that much independence, unless you’re also working or commuting! I’m not sure when or how this happened. I know when I was my kids’ age my parents barely knew what I was up to and when it came time to move out on my own, I figured everything out myself. I’m sure my parents would have helped if I had asked but I guess that never occurred to me. Being independent from them was the goal, after all.

        Oh geez, I feel like I’m on the verge of “get off my lawn” here, lol.

      • Kitten says:

        Hahaha…no you’re completely right, Esmom. I won’t lie: my parents helped me a LOT when I was in college. They paid my rent until I was 21 and they were there to help me if an unexpected financial issue arose. But once I graduated and was on my own I handled everything myself as a young adult SHOULD. I got my own studio apartment and I had to learn to budget myself, to pay bills and rent on-time, to handle apartment issues like a broken toilet (I’ve become pretty handy over time), making sure I paid off the credit card debt and loans from my college years etc etc–you know, NORMAL adult-stuff.

        My boss’s kids don’t know how to do ANY of that. Daddy bought them all brand-new BMWs and grandpa buys and handles their stocks (they all have a small fortune invested in the stock market). Their grandfather paid for all of their college educations and he pays their rent and bills. They DO have jobs but I’m not really sure why..I think for status more than anything. And that’s another thing–STATUS is so effin important to these people.

        When I get irritated with how insular and privileged these people are I just remind myself that they don’t ever seem to TRULY enjoy life. It’s actually probably pretty stressful and exhausting to constantly worry about having *The Best* of everything. For instance, they would never enjoy a concert or a baseball game if they didn’t have *The Best* seats. In fact, they wouldn’t even go. They wouldn’t eat at restuarant that isn’t *The Best* (according to the rich elite) so they miss out on so many great little dive-y places here in the city. I always say that I’d like to have enbough money to never have to stress about money but I would NEVER want to be excessively wealthy. It seems like an empty life to me–one typically devoid of gratitude and appreciation for the little things that mean so much to the rest of us.

      • Veronica S. says:

        Esmom – Some of that is a result of industrialization privilege. The more care opportunities afforded by a wealthy society, the longer the maturation period because we aren’t confronted with the requirements of survival as intensely as those in less fortunate nations. Our brains don’t fully mature psychologically until our mid-20s anyhow, but the process is slowing with teenagers for this reason. But I do suspect there’s been a regression in the United States, a kind of insular and overprotective thinking caused by the sociocultural shifts we saw after 9/11. There’s an element of fear and uncertainty to modern living that wasn’t there before. America no longer affords its citizens the sense of immunity to the world’s crises.

        This being said, the ultra-wealthy are a whole class of their own because literally everything is done for them. They are utterly insulted from the banal agitations of existence that even mild inconveniences are a drama to them. When I talk to coworkers who grew up even just moderately wealthy or upper middle class, I’m just shocked at how utterly ignorant they are of how the majority of the population lives.

      • Candikat says:

        @Kitten — I dated a guy like this. He had a “job” at the family company which required maybe 5 hours of work a week, about which he complained ALL the time. His parents replaced his luxury cars and apartments every few years just because, and this was well into his 30s. Of course, when you’re financially dependent on your parents you’re emotionally dependent on them too, and that’s the sad part. The guy was a lot of fun to date, but had no conception of how to manage his inner needs because he’d never been given the chance to manage his outer ones.

      • Kitten says:

        @ CandiKat- “The guy was a lot of fun to date, but had no conception of how to manage his inner needs because he’d never been given the chance to manage his outer ones.”

        YES. You articulated that perfectly. I think being both coddled by your parents and raised in a very wealthy family actually impedes one’s ability to become an emotionally healthy, self-aware person. Additionally, people like that never get to experience the satisfaction and gratification that comes with true independence and self-sufficiency. It’s pretty sad IMO.

  7. tempest prognosticator says:

    He looks empty. There is nothing in there. He’s a creepy life-sized boy doll who belongs in a scary movie. Of course, that’s just perfect because we’ve been living in a scary movie since Trump took office.

  8. Feebee says:

    The damage this detestable family is doing….. they’re like bloody termites.

  9. Andy says:

    Pause for a moment and consider just how ghoulish, bizarre, and frankly enjoyable it is going to be to see this piece of garbage sitting in front of congress and being interrogated on live television, along with his wife, and his disgusting brother in law. Sign me up. I want to see these hearings and wrap this sh*t show up.

  10. Mary says:

    SMH. An employee actually filled my clearance paperwork out for me during an entrance interview, virtually guaranteeing no errors. I can imagine if he requested the highest level clearance (which, there are several levels of Top Secret), he would have gone through EXTENSIVE interviews…if you’ve got one, it isn’t just handed out like candy at a parade. That he DID NOT initially get one, tells me that very early on flags were raised regarding his activities. The people who needed sussing out the most were able access these levels of clearance is so infuriating and heartbreaking for those of us who respected our clearances and careers surrounding them.

    • boredblond says:

      And he STILL hasn’t received clearance from the cia to see the highest level of information..although I’m guessing anyone who compliments trump on his tie would be handed a stack of it. What an ignorant, dangerous bunch.

    • Esmom says:

      It’s funny how in that interview Ivanka says she and Jared were just two of “a million” people in line for clearances. As if they were doing things like everyone else, with no special favors.

      Sure, Jan.

  11. Eric says:

    How can you possibly share top secret information with Mr Bone Saw (MBS) via WhatsApp unless Emperor Zero orders agencies to give you a top secret security clearance?

    Nepotism much?

    • Steff says:

      Guess who Nagini and Mr. Beady Eyes met with during Cohen’s testimony?

      • Marjorie says:

        Who? I need to know!

        PS A NYT commenter named Karen Garcia calls her Dotus (Daughter if the United States). It’s not as good as Nagini but I don’t think the times would print that.

  12. Molly says:

    God, I want him to go to jail so bad.

  13. Lizzie says:

    STOOOOPPPPP INTERVIEWWWINGNNNNG HERRRRRRR ON TVVVVV. I DON’T FUCKING CARE, DO YOU?

    • Lightpurple says:

      Exactly. The media needs to stop giving her a platform. First Daughter is not a thing. The only coverage should be restricted to the unprecedented ethical violations and the exorbitant cost of her princess act. She has a full-time West Wing staff of 27 people, whose salaries, benefits, and travel expenses are covered by us.

      • Esmom says:

        Every time I see a photo or clip of her in an official meeting, I can’t shake the vibe that she is just playing, like we used to play school or whatever when we were kids. It’s such a f%^&ing farce.

    • adastraperaspera says:

      And it’s Abby Huntsman interviewing her, no less. She’s the daughter of Trump’s pick to be Russian Ambassador–John Huntsman. What a coincidence (not)! It’s not an interview at all. It’s a scripted performance, where the Huntsmans are protecting Ivanka. They all need to be investigated.

  14. JRenee says:

    All kinds of new rules need to be enacted. For cripes sake, if the agencies are concerned about the information he’s exposed to and deny clearance, then his FIL should not be allowed to override those leaders. Our national security is more important than dumb asses who are gullible and clueless, regardless of position held. Smdh

  15. Fluffy Princess says:

    I wake up every morning and ask the gods, “WHEN, WHEN will this all end?” The fact that the government has spiraled so far out of normal, and republicans are sitting on their hands like this is fine, galls and infuriates me down to the depths of my soul! I feel as if this boat will never be righted, and we are all gonna be f****d forever because of what the republicans let happen.

    Also, I am amazed that he has 3 children–seriously. Does he look like a “fun time”? I feel like their children were created in a lab, because he’s mannequin.

  16. Gurl says:

    And yet Karlie Kloss wants to marry into this family of liars?

    • jan90067 says:

      She already did, months ago.

      • justwastingtime says:

        I love it when they describe the Kushner she married as the “liberal one”. He is the same as his corrupt siblings and corrupt father.

  17. Kate Kack says:

    I wonder if their human costumes are itchy?

  18. Maddie says:

    His face looks painful. Wonder if they got a husband wife discount at the plastic surgeon.

  19. Profiterole says:

    He creeps me out. He looks like an unsub from criminal minds.

  20. Cara says:

    He is so creepy looking!! My God, he doesn’t even look real. He looks like a vampire. I guess his evil is seeping out of his body. I can’t wait until that entire group is out of office. Disastrous!!

  21. Lightpurple says:

    Richard Neal, chair of House Ways & Means, has directed the committee’s legal staff to draft the paperwork for Trump’s tax returns. They expect to file early next week. I am so proud of the Massachusetts congressional delegation this week. We’re coming and we’re coming on strong!

  22. Bryce says:

    In some ways, pipsqueak Jared (Chucky-Doll) and his revolting, vamped, ‘empty-vessel’ imbecile of a wife; a wanna-be Barbie with her hollow, smug, jack-o-lantern Manson peekaboo lamps — are the two that I MOST CRAVE to see be arrested, and led out in handcuffs!
    Their astonishing and wonton ignorance infuriate me on a level that I can hardly describe — they exude such a distinctive, and flippant sense of entitlement, they possess such a noxious and annoying type of arrogance… And their efforts to pull one over on the public, (in the least savvy of ways I might add) …combined with the sleezey nepotistic icky feeling I viscerally have when I see them, makes me wish they could both be hogtied, gagged, and gang-raped.
    We all know Orange Turd is dumb as dirt and just as sophisticated as a Sasquatch, and we kinda expect him to say the dumbest thing, ALWAYS – and be this blowhard dumbass that he’s proven to be — but it’s beyond offensive that these two unqualified inept ‘play-actors’ are in the Whitehouse in any kind of ‘official’ position, much less didn’t have the foresight to say ‘NO’ to daddy dumpster-fire, so I say “FUCK ‘EM” — they voluntarily stepped into the circus ring, when they could have stayed in New York with their privacy and what’s left of their dignity.

  23. teehee says:

    He has no right to even stand on the white house lawn as deco, other than white-rich-man entitlement and social climbing.
    They all seriously think that because they are rich, they can do whatever they want to for absolutely no flipping reason or merit whtsoever, otherwise. I dont want this incompetent inexperienced saltine cracker handling any international affairs!!!!!

  24. Qwerty says:

    Well duh.

  25. Molly says:

    Has anyone seen the b/w 1945 film of The Picture of Dorian Gray? He looks like the actor who played Dorian—fittingly soulless, dead eyed, murderous. But without the Wildean wit.

  26. Teel says:

    Kushner’s fully in bed with the Saudis, so I guess they’ll be getting even more sensitive info than they’re already getting from him.