It’s time to confront the glaring double standard in our political landscape. While Republicans relentlessly pursue Hunter Biden, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are getting a free pass despite their flagrant corruption during their time in the White House. This glaring hypocrisy needs to be addressed, and it’s high time for an investigation into their unethical behavior and potential criminal activities.
First things first: Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump should never have been allowed to work in the White House. Anti-nepotism rules exist for a reason—to prevent unqualified relatives of the president from taking up jobs in the most important office in the world. Kushner, the son of a now-pardoned felon and real estate magnate, came to the White House with a background as an executive in the family business, often playing the role of a slumlord. Yet, he was tasked with solving everything from the opioid crisis to Middle East peace to the coronavirus pandemic. Unsurprisingly, he solved almost nothing, but he did reportedly help secure a pardon for his father.
Ivanka Trump’s tenure was equally dubious. Despite having no qualifications, she was often found in rooms of power, with scandals following close behind. Their appointments were so crucial to Donald Trump that the Department of Justice dismissed its anti-nepotism guidelines and decades of precedent to let them work. They claimed to have left their businesses behind, divested from potential conflicts of interest, and refused a salary. Yet, an analysis of their financial filings shows the couple disclosed up to $640 million in outside income while working in the White House. The ethical breaches are staggering.
Kushner failed to disclose his ownership of Cadre, a real estate investment startup. Eventually, he admitted to having a stake worth between $5 million and $25 million. Despite ethics officials advising him to sell his share, he never did. By the time he left the White House, his stake was worth between $25 million and $50 million. Cadre benefited from the “opportunity zones” program championed by none other than Ivanka Trump. If that sounds illegal, it very well could be.
The couple’s overseas entanglements raise further ethical concerns. Ivanka made around $13 million from her ownership stake in the Trump International Hotel, which foreign governments frequented to curry favor. She also continued to get dozens of trademarks in foreign countries like China and Japan while supposedly having shut down her fashion brand. This allowed her to potentially pick it up again if she wanted. Interestingly, she made up to $1 million in 2019 from a brand she claimed ceased operations.
Ivanka’s disregard for ethics rules was blatant. She met with world leaders often, sometimes around the same time her business was requesting or receiving trademark approvals. When Kushner communicated with foreign leaders, he sometimes used encrypted apps, creating a potential national security risk. Their financial disclosures were nebulous, with wide income ranges and opaque holding companies, leaving us guessing about their actual wealth.
Only a few months into the administration, Kushner’s sister pitched Chinese investors on the family’s ties to him and a visa program. How many more such conflicts of interest exist that we simply don’t know about?
Donald Trump’s presidency was marred by malfeasance and corruption. The nepotism that placed Kushner and Ivanka in the White House epitomized this corruption. Instead of serving the American people, they exploited their positions for personal gain, making millions through real estate and branding deals.
The hypocrisy is stark. Republicans have been obsessed with Hunter Biden’s business dealings, while ignoring Jared Kushner’s massive scandals. Even House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer admitted that Kushner “crossed the line of ethics” by accepting a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund shortly after leaving the White House. This investment included an expected $25 million in annual management fees. Kushner’s private equity firm went forward with the deal despite a Saudi Public Investment Fund review panel’s concerns about “the inexperience of the Affinity Fund management.”
Yet, Republicans are too busy launching baseless investigations into President Biden to address the Trump family’s blatant corruption. The extent of Trump’s financial haul during his presidency is astounding, with his businesses receiving at least $7.8 million in foreign payments from at least 20 countries. This does not even include the millions pocketed by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
Trump’s money grab threatened the separation of a president’s personal financial interests from those of the nation. Enforcing the emoluments clause is crucial to prevent future presidents from using the office for personal gain. Congress must establish stronger anti-nepotism laws to prevent another Kushner and Ivanka scenario. The Republican leadership, however, seems more interested in protecting their own than upholding the Constitution.
If Republicans truly care about corruption, they must turn their attention to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. It’s time for a thorough investigation into their actions during their White House tenure. This double standard cannot continue. The American people deserve accountability and transparency from all public officials, regardless of their last name.
