Jared Kushner’s businessman brother met with Saudi officials at an investor conference in the days before the president’s son-in-law and Middle East adviser held private talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a report.
Josh Kushner, who runs a venture capital firm, spent three days at the October 2017 conference in Riyadh where the crown prince promised to invest billions in high-tech projects. According to the New York Times, he held "exclusive conversations" with Saudi officials.
The day after his younger brother flew out of the kingdom, Jared Kushner visited the crown prince's desert retreat to talk policy, the newspaper reported.
Jared Kushner severed ties with his brother's firm, Thrive Capital, and divested his interests in its funds upon becoming a senior White House adviser in January 2017.
However, some government ethics lawyers suggested him discussing US policy with the kingdom's rulers at virtually the same time as his brother was promoting his business to the country's top aides still created the appearance of a conflict of interest.
“The timing looks bad, OK, but the bigger issue is his brother’s business,” said Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St Louis. “It is reasonable to question Jared Kushner’s ability to be impartial in dealing with the Saudis.”
A spokesman for Josh Kushner told the New York Times that Thrive Capital "instituted a policy shortly after the 2016 election to prohibit investments from new foreign investors with business in front of the current administration". The company had "abided by that prohibition," he added.
He declined to say if the firm had received money from Saudis who had invested in its funds before Mr Trump's election.
Jared Kushner has met again with Crown Prince bin Salman since the October 2018 killing of Saud journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered by Saudi agents at the country's Istanbul consulate. Riyadh has said it was masterminded and carried out by "rogue" operatives.
No representatives from the US embassy in Riyadh were present at 26 February meeting, in a deviation from government protocols, prompting military and intelligence officials to accuse the president's son-in-law of “undermining US authority”.
The Independent has contacted Thrive Capital and the White House for further comment.
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