Jared Kushner "is on the ground" in Iraq, visiting the embattled nation along with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Joseph Dunford, White House press secretary Sean Spicer says. Kushner is both a senior adviser to President Trump and his son-in-law.
Spicer confirmed Kushner's visit to NPR's Tamara Keith early Monday. According to Reuters, which has a reporter traveling with Kushner and Dunford, the U.S. group arrived on Monday, not over the weekend as some news outlets reported on Sunday.
Kushner's foray into international affairs comes less than a week after the president named him to a commission on battling opioid abuse.
As Tamara reports, "Kushner has also been tasked with liaising with the Mexican government, working to find peace in the Middle East, and leading an effort to modernize the U.S. government."
Dunford's spokesman tells Reuters that Kushner is on the current trip to show support for Iraq and for the fight against ISIS.
Dunford says he invited both Kushner and White House homeland security adviser Tom Bossert. Recalling the invitation to Reuters, Dunford says he told Kushner several weeks ago, "Hey, next time I go to Iraq, if you're interested, come and it'd be good."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.