Trump ‘DID give order for Kushner’s security clearance’ after Ivanka said he had ‘zero involvement’

Trump ‘DID order chief of staff John Kelly to give son-in-law Jared Kushner top-secret security clearance’, according to ‘internal memos’ that contradict statements from both the president and Ivanka

  • Trump overruled intelligence officials concerns to get the clearance, reports say
  • He had denied ever getting involved with the process in an interview in January
  • And daughter Ivanka also said her husband went through the standard process
  • But Kelly is said to have sent an internal memo saying he was ‘ordered’ 
  • Presidents do have the power to assign top-level security clearances to aides 
  • But Kushner’s security clearance was initially declined by two security officials
  • Problems in his initial background check stalled his application in 2017 
  • He is now cleared for ‘Top Secret’ information 
  • Chairman of House Oversight Committee says White House hasn’t been cooperative in the probe

Donald Trump did order former chief of staff John F. Kelly to give his son-in-law Jared Kushner top-secret security clearance, according to reports. 

The president denied ever getting involved with the process in an interview just last month. His eldest daughter Ivanka also said her husband went through the standard process. 

But The New York Times now reports Trump overruled intelligence officials concerns to get the clearance.  

The former White House chief of staff John F. Kelly is even said to have sent an internal memo about being ‘ordered’ to give Mr. Kushner the top-secret clearance.

Donald Trump , right, is said to have ordered former chief of staff John F. Kelly to give his son-in-law Jared Kushner top-secret security clearance, according to new reports

Problems in Jared Kushner's initial background check stalled his application in 2017

His wife Ivanka said 'the president had no involvement pertaining to my clearance or my husband's clearance, zero'

Problems in Jared Kushner’s initial background check stalled his application in 2017. But his wife Ivanka, right, said ‘the president had no involvement pertaining to my clearance or my husband’s clearance, zero’

In January Trump had said: ‘I was never involved with the security. I know that he — you know, just from reading — I know that there was issues back and forth about security for numerous people, actually. But I don’t want to get involved in that stuff.’

Then just days later Ivanka claimed: ‘There were anonymous leaks about there being issues. But the president had no involvement pertaining to my clearance or my husband’s clearance, zero.’

It comes as Elijah E. Cummings, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, revealed the White House has not been cooperative in the growing probe clearances given to aides. 

Presidents do have the power to assign top-level security clearances to White House aides. But Kushner’s security clearance was initially declined by two security officials.

It was finally given the green-light by a White House security specialist named Carl Kline. Trump told the Times in January that he never intervened. 

Kushner is cleared for ‘Top Secret’ information but still doesn’t have ‘sensitive compartmented information’ clearance, the highest category available to him.

Problems in his initial background check, related to potential foreign influences, stalled his application in 2017.

Kushner was forced to amend his financial disclosures on multiple occasions because he omitted information about his family business looking for overseas partners to help finance a $1.4 billion mortgage on a Manhattan skyscraper.

The involvement of Kline, an unknown White House employee, became known after one of his subordinates was suspended from her position in his office for ‘defiance’ of his orders.

Jared Kushner  and Ivanka Trump walk with children Theodore, left, and Joseph, center right. Kushner's security clearance was initially declined by two security officials

Jared Kushner  and Ivanka Trump walk with children Theodore, left, and Joseph, center right. Kushner’s security clearance was initially declined by two security officials

In an interview in January Trump had said he 'was never involved with the security' 

In an interview in January Trump had said he ‘was never involved with the security’ 

Two Democratic lawmakers are now calling on the acting White House chief of staff to revoke Jared Kushner’s security clearance.

Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer and California Rep. Ted Lieu wrote acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney raising ‘serious concerns about Kushner’s clearance, citing his past omissions on federal disclosure forms and referencing his campaign and transition Russia contacts.

Oversight chair Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland wrote: ‘The system is supposed to be a nonpartisan determination of an individual’s fitness to hold a clearance, not an ad hoc approach that overrules career experts to to our nation’s most sensitive secrets.’ 

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: ‘We don’t comment on security clearances.’

A spokesman for Mr. Kushner’s lawyer, Abbe D. Lowell said: ‘In 2018, White House and security clearance officials affirmed that Mr. Kushner’s security clearance was handled in the regular process with no pressure from anyone. That was conveyed to the media at the time, and new stories, if accurate, do not change what was affirmed at the time.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk