President-Elect Trump Just Gave His Son-in-Law an Important White House Job

There’s no question that President-elect Donald Trump considers his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to be one of his closest advisers and confidants.

So, when the president-elect takes over leadership of the White House next week, it seems only fitting that Kushner will now play a role in the new administration. Trump announced his son-in-law would serve as a senior adviser during a brief announcement to the press on Monday.

“Jared has been a tremendous asset and trusted adviser throughout the campaign and transition, and I am proud to have him in a key leadership role in my administration,” the president-elect said. “He has been incredibly successful, in both business and now politics. He will be an invaluable member of my team as I set and execute an ambitious agenda, putting the American people first.”

Kushner, whose parents are both Holocaust survivors, was raised as an Orthodox Jew. After graduating from Harvard and New York University, he went into the family real estate business—a common bond he now shares with his father-in-law, wife, and brothers-in-law—and has been highly successful.

In 2015, Forbes magazine ranked him at No. 25 in its annual “40 Under 40” feature.

He’s also the owner-publisher of the New York Observer newspaper, which he purchased 11 years ago for $10 million. In 2012, he made a bid to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, but withdrew it about a month later.

In his new role at the White House, Kushner will work closely with Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon to execute President-elect Trump’s agenda. Together, Bannon, Priebus and Kushner formed an effective leadership team throughout the presidential transition process.

“Jared is a visionary with a rare ability to communicate with and assemble broad coalitions of support,” Priebus said. “His entrepreneurial mindset will be a great asset to the team as well as his open mind, adaptability and keen intellect.”

Kushner has said he will forego a salary during his service to the White House. He also resigned from Observer Media and placed his assets in a blind trust to be managed by his mother for the duration of his service to the Trump-Pence Administration.

“It is an honor to serve our country,” he said. “I am energized by the shared passion of the President-elect and the American people, and I am humbled by the opportunity to join this very talented team.” {eoa}