In a recent segment on CNN, host Jake Tapper insisted on continuing the scrutiny of Trump’s corner’s ties to Saudi Arabia, which include the $2 billion provided by a fund controlled by the country’s leadership to an investment operation founded by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner upon leaving his stint in government.
Kushner was recently asked about the believed ties put forward by the U.S. intelligence community between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi — something that’s not shaken the evident commitment from Kushner and even Trump to stumping for that country’s leaders. Kushner reacted derisively to the interviewer bringing up the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusions on Khashoggi, asking for an example of a decision from the Trump presidential team — in which Kushner was involved — that wasn’t aligned with U.S. interests.
“How about letting an ally kill a Washington Post columnist, Jared? That seems like an obvious answer for anyone that hasn’t been given two billion reasons to ignore it,” Tapper remarked. “And we are still going to talk about this, especially on the day where we’re talking about other world leaders taking out other dissidents. […] All of it happened right in front of our eyes.” (Watch the full video HERE.)
Trump himself was also dismissive of scrutiny on that Saudi leader in the context of Khashoggi’s death. Public details seem to reveal large sums for Trump’s businesses from the same source in Saudi Arabia that backed Kushner’s investment ambitions. For Trump, it came via properties in the family’s portfolio hosting events for LIV Golf, a somewhat new league with backing from that country. It’s an example of what some deem “sportswashing,” meaning the attempted usage of athletics to distract from damaging acts elsewhere.
Circumstances involving “other world leaders” that Tapper referenced are the recent circumstances of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death while detained under Vladimir Putin’s regime. Trump responded to Navalny’s death by not even mentioning Putin but instead just attacking the United States.
