The Democratic National Committee (DNC) wants U.S. President Donald Trump to fire his son-in-law Jared Kushner from his position as White House advisor, after reports surfaced that the latter sought to establish a private communications channel between the President’s transition team and Russia.
“Trump has no choice but to immediately fire Kushner, whose failure to report this episode on his security clearance is reason enough for a criminal investigation,” the Hill quoted DNC deputy communications director Adrienne Watson as saying.
The Washington Post reported that according to the U.S. officials briefed on intelligence reports of Russia probe, Kushner and Russian ambassador to Washington Sergei Kislyak discussed the possibility of setting up a secret and secure communications channel.
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According to the report, Kislyak told his superiors in Moscow that Kushner made the proposal during a meeting on Dec. 1 or 2 at Trump Tower, and that Kushner suggested using Russian diplomatic facilities for the communications.
The meeting was also attended by Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser who was forced to resign after he failed to disclose his meetings with Russian officials.
Kislyak reportedly was taken aback by the suggestion of allowing an American to use Russian communications gear at its embassy or consulate – a proposal that would have carried security risks for Moscow as well as the Trump team.
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Kushner is presently under scrutiny as investigators widened the area of investigation of the Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential elections.
The FBI is interested in the details of Kushner’s meeting with Kislyak, a meeting that the White House first disclosed in March.
Kushner’s interactions with Russians – including Kislyak and an executive for a Russian bank under U.S. sanctions – were not acknowledged by the White House until they were exposed in media reports.