Jared Corey Kushner is an American businessman, real estate investor, and political advisor. He became one of the most influential unelected figures in modern U.S. governance after marrying Ivanka Trump, the daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump. During the 2017–2021 period, his position inside The White House placed him at the center of executive power despite having no prior experience in public office.

Early Life and Family Background

Jared Kushner was born on January 10, 1981, in Livingston, New Jersey, United States. He is the son of real estate developer Charles Kushner, founder of Kushner Companies, and Seryl Kushner, a philanthropist active in Jewish community organizations. Raised in a Modern Orthodox Jewish household, Kushner grew up in an environment that combined strict religious observance with deep integration into elite business and political circles.

The Kushner family’s economic power and political connections in New Jersey and New York exposed him early to institutional influence, elite education networks, and high-level negotiations. This background would later prove decisive in both his business career and his rapid rise within national politics.

Education and Academic Formation

Jared Kushner attended the Frisch School, a Modern Orthodox Jewish high school, before enrolling at Harvard University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2003. His admission drew public scrutiny due to a large donation made by his father to the university shortly before his acceptance, a controversy that followed Kushner for years as a symbol of elite privilege.

He later pursued graduate studies at New York University, completing a dual JD/MBA program through NYU School of Law and NYU Stern School of Business. During this period, he interned at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, gaining early exposure to both legal institutions and corporate power structures.

Rise Within Kushner Companies

After Charles Kushner was convicted in 2005 on charges of tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions, and witness tampering, Jared Kushner assumed a more central leadership role in the family business. He eventually became CEO of Kushner Companies, overseeing a vast real estate portfolio concentrated primarily in New York.

In 2007, the company acquired the Manhattan skyscraper 666 Fifth Avenue for approximately $1.8 billion, then the most expensive single-building purchase in U.S. history. The deal later became a financial liability due to high leverage and unfavorable market conditions, requiring complex refinancing and international partnerships. The transaction came to symbolize both Kushner’s ambition and the risks embedded in his aggressive investment strategy.

Media Ownership and Public Influence

In 2006, Jared Kushner expanded into media by purchasing the New York Observer. Under his ownership, the publication shifted toward a digital-first strategy and was folded into Observer Media Group. The newspaper gained heightened visibility for its coverage of Donald Trump and New York political elites.

Kushner formally withdrew from media operations in 2017 upon assuming his role inside The White House, citing conflict-of-interest concerns.

Marriage to Ivanka Trump

Jared Kushner married Ivanka Trump on October 25, 2009, in a Jewish ceremony following her conversion to Judaism. The marriage integrated him directly into the Trump family’s political and business empire. The couple has three children: Arabella Rose Kushner, Joseph Frederick Kushner, and Theodore James Kushner.

This family relationship transformed Kushner from a prominent real estate executive into a political insider with unparalleled access to presidential authority.

The 2016 Presidential Campaign

During the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, Jared Kushner emerged as one of Donald Trump’s most trusted strategists. He played a central role in building the campaign’s digital infrastructure, voter data operations, and online fundraising systems. He was a key architect of the data-driven operation known internally as “Project Alamo.”

Kushner’s influence extended beyond technology, as he acted as a gatekeeper and strategic advisor, often bypassing traditional political consultants.

Senior Advisor in the White House

On January 20, 2017, Jared Kushner was appointed Senior Advisor to the President and served until January 20, 2021. He also led the Office of American Innovation. Despite lacking formal government experience, he was entrusted with an unusually broad portfolio.

Domestically, he worked on criminal justice reform, including the First Step Act, federal modernization initiatives, and the administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. His role during the pandemic—particularly the creation of parallel supply and advisory structures—was widely criticized and remains one of the most controversial aspects of his tenure.

Middle East Diplomacy

In foreign policy, Jared Kushner served as the principal architect of the Trump administration’s Middle East strategy. He led efforts to draft an Israeli–Palestinian peace proposal and played a central role in negotiating the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.

Throughout this process, he worked closely with Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Gulf leaders. Supporters praised the agreements as historic diplomatic achievements, while critics argued they marginalized Palestinian rights.

Investigations and Controversies

Jared Kushner’s time in The White House was marked by continuous scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest, incomplete financial disclosures, and his security clearance process. He testified before congressional committees investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, including inquiries related to the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting.

His access to classified information and foreign contacts remained a persistent source of political debate.

Post–White House Career and Wealth

After leaving government service, Jared Kushner founded the private equity firm Affinity Partners. The firm attracted substantial funding from sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf region, particularly from Saudi Arabia, reigniting ethical and political concerns about foreign influence.

According to Forbes, Kushner’s net worth exceeded $1 billion by 2025.

Personal Life and Memoir

Jared Kushner maintains close relationships with his brother Joshua Kushner and his sisters Dara and Nicole Kushner. In 2022, he published his memoir, Breaking History: A White House Memoir, in which he detailed his experiences inside The White House, his role in Middle East diplomacy, and his treatment for thyroid cancer.

Today, Jared Kushner is widely regarded as one of the most consequential—and controversial—figures operating at the intersection of business, diplomacy, and political power in the early 21st century.

Source: Biyografiler.com