White House senior adviser Jared Kushner denied that he discussed his security clearance with President Trump, despite reports that his father-in-law personally ordered the clearance against the recommendations of some career officials.
Kushner, appearing in an episode of “Axios on HBO” which aired Sunday, denied discussing the clearance with Trump.
The House Oversight and Reform Committee is currently conducting an investigation into the White House’s handling of security clearances for administration officials.
{mosads}A whistleblower told committee staff in early April that Trump administration officials overruled career officials in 25 instances in order to grant security clearances to employees despite “disqualifying issues” in their backgrounds.
The panel subpoenaed former White House personnel security director Carl Kline in response to that allegation.
The White House initially tried to block Kline from testifying, which prompted Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) to threaten to hold him in contempt.
Kline eventually did appear voluntarily, reportedly acknowledging that he had issued clearances despite concerns from subordinates but denying that he was pressured by anyone in the White House.
Kushner’s security clearance had reportedly been denied last year over concerns about foreign influence and his private business interests. He was later approved by Kline.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in April accused Democrats of “acting in bad faith” with their security clearance investigation.
“We’ve been cooperative on that front. But we’re not going to put the 3 million people who are full-time employees of the federal government that hold security clearances’ personal information at risk because Democrats want to pretend and play games instead of doing their jobs,” Sanders said on Fox News.