Jared Kushner releases fact-check on New Yorker conflict of interest story

US special envoy Jared Kushner issued a 14-point fact-check on October 8, targeting a nearly 5,000-word New Yorker article that examined potential conflicts of interest between his diplomatic role in the Trump administration and his private equity firm, Affinity Partners LLC, The Post reported. The response addresses recurring scrutiny over whether his Middle East diplomacy benefited his firm’s bottom line.

For years, I let the stories go unanswered, Kushner told The Post regarding his decision to speak out. I focused on my work, but when false claims get repeated enough, people start believing them. I decided to put the facts out there and let people judge for themselves.

Kushner Defends Affinity Partners Fund Raising and Diplomacy

The central accusation in the New Yorker piece focused on allegations that Kushner raised $5 billion earlier this year for his private equity fund while concurrently negotiating on behalf of the Trump administration in the Middle East. Kushner disputed this timeline in his 14-point published statement on his personal website.

The instant the actions in Iran began and I was asked to extend my volunteer role, I ended all conversations about additional fundraising, Kushner stated. He added that preliminary talks about a possible future fund do not constitute raising capital, calling the magazine’s characterization misleading.

According to Kushner, Affinity Partners has not raised additional capital while he has been volunteering for the government. He maintained, I have never taken a diplomatic action to benefit Affinity, myself, or any investor.

Congressional Scrutiny Over Foreign Sovereign Wealth Investments

Democratic lawmakers, including House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin of Maryland, previously raised concerns regarding Affinity Partners’ financial backing. In the wake of the first Trump administration, Kushner secured more than $2 billion in investments from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, known as the PIF, along with funds from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Raskin asserted that Affinity’s assets under management grew past $6 billion, creating what he termed a glaring conflict of interest given Donald Trump’s return to the presidency in January 2025. Kushner countered that the PIF investment occurred after he left government service, with no plans to return at that time, and years before Trump announced another presidential run.

Kushner also stated that his investment decisions were made in consultation with a private ethics counsel and, upon his return to government service, with the White House Counsel’s Office. He receives no salary or compensation from the government and covers his own expenses.

Disputes Over Investment Track Record and International Deals

The New Yorker piece also questioned Kushner’s investment acumen while noting that Affinity targets 25% returns for clients. Kushner defended his financial background, noting that he invested billions in real estate, founded technology companies, and purchased the New York Observer prior to entering government service.

My subsequent record at Affinity, which is an SEC-registered advisor, provides additional objective evidence by which to evaluate my investment experience, Kushner wrote. Our assets under management have continued to grow from investment gains, not newly raised capital.

He also dismissed accusations regarding business dealings involving an Albanian island resort project and the acquisition of shares in Phoenix Financial, an Israeli financial services company.

Diplomatic Record and Current Middle East Negotiations

Kushner defended his unconventional diplomatic approach by pointing to the 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Gulf nations, alongside trade agreements with Canada, Mexico, and China. Over the past year, Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff worked to secure the release of remaining hostages from Gaza and establish a tentative cease-fire between Hamas and Israel.

Addressing criticism regarding his lack of traditional diplomatic background, Kushner emphasized his business management experience and academic credentials from Harvard University and New York University.

The tasks Trump has delegated to Kushner and Witkoff — negotiating with Iran, Russia and Ukraine, and Hamas — are incredibly difficult challenges … that have defied solutions for decades. We know how hard they are, but if there’s a chance to end wars, save lives and create a better future, it’s worth trying.

Jared Kushner