Ivanka Trump’s husband Jared Kushner has silenced any speculation that she will campaign for her father, Donald Trump, in the final days of the presidential election, or that they’d work again in his administration if he wins Nov. 5.
Kushner told the New York Times that they’re “rooting” for Trump’s victory, but he also insisted that, “either way, our life will just continue to move forward.”
Indeed, the couple’s luxe family life is likely to “continue” in the gated island community of Indian Creek Village near Miami, known as Florida’s “Billionaire Bunker.” They seem to like the surfing-and-society life-style there, which also includes such neighbors as Tom Brady, Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, whose friends group includes both Ivanka and Kim Kardashian.
But the former White House advisers also could “move forward” by becoming even more wealthy if Trump returns to the White House, critics of the couple say, the New York Times reported. Critics argue that the couple — known as “Javanka” — definitely could benefit financially if Trump is re-elected, even if they stay outside of government.
“They don’t need to go into government,” said Vicky Ward, the author of “Kushner Inc.,” about the couple’s various businesses. “They’ve already proven, in a way, that government is really good business for them.”
With the global political and business connections that Kushner made in the White House, “he’s sitting there directing traffic around the world,” Ward said. She suggested that Kushner could wield influence behind the scenes as a kind of “shadow secretary of state” or “Kissinger 2.0.”
Kushner worked on a wide range of issues and policies in the Trump administration, including Middle East peace efforts, and developed a relationship with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The de facto Saudi ruler has overseen social and economic reforms in the kingdom, as well as a far-reaching crackdown on dissent, leading to the country becoming known for its abysmal human rights record, CBS News reported.
After Kushner left the White House and moved with his family to Florida, he started a private equity firm that received a reported $2 billion investment from the sovereign wealth fund controlled by Prince Mohammed.
“They’re much richer than they were before they went into government,” Ward told the New York Times, with other observers saying that Kushner is freed of governmental ethical rules.
“And now he’s got a Rolodex of world leaders who are on the phone to him,” Ward also said. “And when he puts the phone down, he can call his father-in-law.”
Over the past several years, Kushner has drawn scrutiny from Democrats for his dealings with Prince Mohammed, most recently in the past week. Reuters reported that he had, on multiple occasions since leaving government, discussed U.S.-Saudi diplomacy concerning Israel with Prince Mohammed.
Last week, the Reuters report prompted Ron Wyden, the Democratic chair of the U.S. Senate Finance committee, and Rep. Jamie Raskin to ask the U.S. attorney general to investigate whether Kushner was functioning as an unregistered foreign agent for Saudi Arabia.
“This revelation is deeply disturbing, as Mr. Kushner appears to be influencing U.S. foreign policy by acting as a political consultant to the Saudi government while also accepting their money,” Wyden and Raskin wrote in an eight-page letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“Mr. Kushner’s proximity to President Trump and the potential for political interference warrants the appointment of a Special Counsel,” the letter added.
It’s not known how much Ivanka Trump is involved in her husband’s business, though she partnered up with him to launch two high-end developments in Albania — one of which she is helping to design, the New York Times said. That proposal also prompted accusations that the couple were trying to benefit from a government looking to curry favor with Trump, in the event he is re-elected, the Times said.
A representative for Kushner denied to the Times that he and his wife were trading on their connection with Trump to help their business interests. Kushner is “proud of the many great relationships he has built over the course of his life in both the private and public sectors,” the representative said.
Ivanka Trump appears to be less focused on business these days, and she has notably stayed away from publicly campaigning for her father, as she did in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Instead, the Times reported that she spends her days more like a typical Florida socialite, looking after her three children — Arabella, 13; Joseph, 11; and Theodore, 8. She also volunteers, works with a personal trainer and indulges in new pursuits, like surfing and jiu jitsu.
“Miami really feels like home now,” a longtime friend, Julie Brawn, told the Times. “She’s super happy with the lifestyle.”
