The ongoing feud that has pitted Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump against White House Chief of Staff John Kelly reached a fever pitch earlier this week. Kelly reportedly have President Trump a thinly-veiled ultimatum through a suggested demotion of the Jared Kushner security level. So, does Jared Kushner have a security clearance?
The political drama playing out in the White House is quickly approaching the likes of screenplays for TV series. Number 45 is “frustrated with Mr. Kushner, whom he now views as a liability because of his legal entanglements,” the New York Times reports, with insiders telling the publication that Trump has mentioned that Ivanka and her husband “never should have come to the White House and should leave.”
Why is Jared Kushner’s security clearance important?
John Kelly’s power play in the White House couldn’t exactly be aimed only at Jared Kushner’s security clearance, so he found a handy way to target Trump’s son-in-law. Kelly identified White House staffers whose security clearances had been pending since June 1 and made it so that these workers would no longer be able to see classified information. That lift of White House staffers happens to include Jared Kushner.
That means that though Kushner had yet to be issued permanent clearance, he had been receiving the top-secret Presidential Daily Brief and was able to view classified material. Any change to the Jared Kushner security clearance level is not only the political equivalent of a glass of wine to the face but also a danger to his ability to carry out his role in the White House aimed at improving relations in the Middle East and in Asia.
So, does Jared Kushner have a security clearance?
A demotion doesn’t necessarily mean a revocation, so does Jared Kushner have a security clearance? And, if so, what is the level of Jared Kushner’s security clearance since this big shakeup? We’ll break it down.
To the point, does Jared Kushner have a security clearance? Yes, he does, but it’s lower than before. What is the Jared Kushner security clearance level now? Whereas Jared Kushner’s security clearance before was “Top Secret/SCI” (sensitive compartmented information), it is now “Secret” until his background checks are concluded.
For reference, that’s now a security clearance level below the White House calligrapher; and, yes, that’s a real position.
