WASHINGTON — Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, has been stripped of his high-level security clearance after months of delays in completing an exhaustive background check, a White House official and another person familiar with Kushner’s situation said.
WASHINGTON — Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, has been stripped of his high-level security clearance after months of delays in completing an exhaustive background check, a White House official and another person familiar with Kushner’s situation said.
Kushner has had his top-secret clearance reduced to secret, limiting his ability to view highly classified information. His portfolio, specifically in regard to foreign affairs, is expected to be reduced, the people said. The news was first reported by Politico.
The move comes after John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, recently moved to overhaul the security clearance process at the White House after Rob Porter, President Donald Trump’s staff secretary, resigned amid accusations of spousal abuse.
Porter and Kushner were among a number of top White House officials who had been operating on interim security clearances for many months because of issues completing their FBI background checks. Kelly said in a memo this month that he would limit the number of people operating in the White House without permanent clearances.
Kushner is the highest-profile member of the administration in that situation. In a news conference last week, Trump said he would leave the issue of Kushner’s security clearance up to Kelly.
