Jared Kushner’s Role as ‘Special Peace Envoy’ Is a 5-Alarm Constitutional Fire. Here's Why

Kushner claims to be representing the US in high-stakes foreign policy negotiations, while also pursuing billions from other nations for his firm. So, who is he actually working for, Kim Wehle asks.

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner speak to reporters at a summit on security guarantees for Ukraine, at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Jan. 6, 2026. Photo by Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

In 2024, when pressed by a reporter, Jared Kushner ruled out joining Donald Trump’s second administration.

“I’ve been very clear that my desire at this phase of my life is to focus on my firm,” he said, referring to Affinity Partners, the private equity company he started in 2021.

Less than two years later, he was back in his father-in-law’s administration, and while he has helped lead some of the most high-stakes foreign policy negotiations of the last year, he might have been telling the truth about his “focus” remaining on his firm.

As Kushner claims to be representing the United States in negotiations with Iran over a war his father-in-law started with the family’s lifelong personal friend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the 45-year-old is apparently planning to hit up Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates – all foreign governments that depend on the US military for security and weaponry – for billions in funding for his private equity firm while already managing some of their investments. Even Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, sounded the alarm, posting a screenshot on X of the New York Times headline, “Jared Kushner Solicits Funds for His Firm While Working as Mideast Envoy.”

The questions too few people are asking are: Who is Kushner actually working for, anyway? And is he breaking the law in his role in his father-in-law’s administration?