Kushner Resists Losing Access as Kelly Tackles Security Clearance Issues
WASHINGTON — Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law
and senior adviser, is resisting giving up his access to highly classified information, prompting an internal struggle with John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, over who should be allowed to see some of the nation’s most sensitive secrets, according to White House officials and others briefed on the matter.
Mr. Kushner, frustrated about the security clearance issue and concerned
that Mr. Kelly has targeted him personally with the directive, has told colleagues at the White House that he is reluctant to give up his high-level access, the officials said.
The fact that the White House chief of staff would take the step of publicly denying
that a policy change would harm the president’s son-in-law pointed up the tension in the West Wing after the Porter episode, particularly between Mr. Kelly on one side, and Mr. Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, who had been close allies of Mr. Porter, on the other.
“As I told Jared days ago, I have full confidence in his ability to continue performing his duties in his foreign policy portfolio including overseeing our Israeli-Palestinian peace effort
and serving as an integral part of our relationship with Mexico,” Mr. Kelly said in a statement the White House released on Tuesday in which he refused to address Mr. Kushner’s security clearance or elaborate on his memo.
However, since Mr. Porter’s departure, one official said, Mr. Kushner and Ms. Trump have told people around the White House
that they have been vocal in their attempts to defend Mr. Kelly but are being treated unfairly in return.