Who is Ivanka Trump’s husband Jared Kushner and is he really the ‘second most powerful man’ in America?

He’s been called the second most powerful man in the Oval Office, right behind his father-in-law Donald Trump. But who is Jared Kushner and how did his rise to senior adviser to the president of the United States, alongside the likes of Kimberly Guilfoyle, happen?

From his humble immigrant family origins to his marriage to Ivanka Trump, Kushner’s meteoric journey has resulted in both awe and disbelief. Here are six things you might not have known about The Don’s son-in-law …

His family history

Jared’s grandmother, Rae, was a teenager when Nazis stormed her town in Belarus – then northern Poland. She watched her own mother be executed and joined a handful of other Holocaust survivors in digging an underground passage into a forest to escape from the ghetto that the Jewish population had been forced into. Her determination has become one of the founding blocks of the Kushner family. Jared was particularly close to his gran and continues to draw inspiration from her life story.

The Kushners eventually relocated to New Jersey, forming a group called the Refugee Builders with other survivors and building suburban flats in the area. The family ended up owning around 30,000 flat units.

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His father’s scandal

As the Kushner family grew in prominence, Jared’s father, Charles, pleaded guilty to 18 counts of tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal political campaign donations back in 2005. He also confessed to hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, sending a recording of the incident to his sister. He served 14 months of jail time.

His Ivy League education controversy

Although Jared attended Harvard, majoring in government, his acceptance to the school was marred by dubious claims. It has been alleged that his dad Charles made a donation of US$2.5 million right before he was accepted, leading many to believe that the Kushners were part of the elite who bought their children’s acceptance into top schools. The family has vehemently denied the claims, insisting that they donated to several top universities, not just Harvard.

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His enigmatic relationship with the Trumps

Although Jared and Ivanka have been married for over a decade, there was doubt cast over their relationship after they broke up briefly three years after they started dating, reportedly because Jared’s parents did not approve of Ivanka’s Catholicism. (The Kushners, including Jared, are Orthodox Jewish.) Ivanka has since converted to Judaism and has openly said that she welcomed the change in religion.

Although Jared is Donald Trump’s senior adviser, his relationship with his father-in-law is hard to decipher. Some reports indicate The Don has doubts over some of Jared’s decisions, while others claim that the president enjoys having Jared around to support him against naysayers in the White House.

His historic peace deal

Although Jared and Ivanka’s roles in the White House have been widely criticised, Jared has been credited for being the man behind the peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, reportedly closing the deal using his connections and close personal relationships.

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The meme fest

Much like Donald Trump and his wife Melania, Jared and Ivanka have become internet fodder ever since entering the White House as political advisers to the president. A quick Google search will pull up hilarious memes poking fun at Jared’s stoic appearance. Known for keeping a straight face and having perfectly coiffed hair, memes about Jared have only gained momentum in the lead-up to the 2020 US presidential election.

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