Jared Kushner, a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, has criticized a report published by CNN that he claims is "deeply misleading." In a social media post on Friday, Kushner accused the network of suggesting that his diplomatic work in the Middle East benefited investments in Israeli defense companies.
The CNN report, which was published on Thursday, noted that Kushner acted as a key negotiator regarding the war in Gaza while his company, Affinity Partners, held a significant stake in an Israeli firm that invests in companies involved in Israel's military campaigns. However, the report also stated that CNN found no indication that Kushner's actions as a diplomat directly affected the investments.
Kushner argued that the CNN report's headline was misleading, and that readers without a paid subscription to the website were left in the dark. He pointed out that the report acknowledged the lack of direct impact on the investments, but buried that information 10 paragraphs deep and only visible to paid subscribers.
The CNN report did note that Kushner's company, Affinity Partners, has a significant stake in Phoenix Financial, a Tel Aviv-based firm that invests in companies providing equipment for the Israeli military. However, Kushner defended his company's investments, stating that Phoenix is not a defense company, but rather a financial institution that manages billions of dollars in investments.
Kushner added that his company's investment in Phoenix predates his return to public service, and that Affinity does not own the defense companies highlighted in the CNN report. He also stated that the investment is public and has performed well for his company and its investors.
A CNN spokesperson responded to Kushner's criticism, stating that the network stands by its reporting.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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