DON'S CHOICE
Trump picks son-in-law Jared Kushner’s dad Charles for key ambassador role after he was pardoned over ‘loathsome crime’
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PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump has nominated his son-in-law Jared Kushner's dad, Charles Kushner, for a key diplomatic role.
The Republican said on Saturday that he wants the real estate developer to serve as ambassador to France in the latest pick.
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Trump made the announcement in a gushing Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner a "tremendous business leader, philanthropist, and dealmaker."
He added: "Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, and 14 grandchildren.
"Together, we will strengthen America’s partnership with France, our oldest Ally, and one of our greatest!"
Kushner - the son of a Holocaust survivor - is the founder of real estate firm Kushner Companies.
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His son Jared Kushner is a former senior Trump adviser who is also married to the President-elect's eldest daughter Ivanka.
Jared previously worked on Operation Warp Speed, criminal justice reform and the Abraham Accords.
His dad Charles Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations.
The dad-of-four was sentenced to nearly two years in prison for the tax fraud conviction but only served 14 months in federal prison.
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Charles was one of 26 people that Trump fully pardoned during his first term.
Prosecutors alleged that after Charles discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he plotted for revenge.
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Kushner went as far as hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, have it filmed with a hidden camera and the recording of any activity sent to his sister, the man's wife, prosecutors said.
Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering.
He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison.
This was the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the US attorney for New Jersey at the time had sought.
He said at the time: "No matter how rich and powerful you are or poor and unpowerful, if you have violated the federal law in the district of New Jersey or if you are corrupting our political system, this office will bring you to justice.
"Today, Charles Kushner was brought to justice."
Christie has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump's transition team in 2016.
He also has called Charles Kushners offences "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he had ever prosecuted.
When pardoning Charles, Trump said Jared's dad had "devoted" himself to "important philanthropic organizations and causes" over the years.
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Trump added at the time: "His record of reform and charity overshadows Mr. Kushner’s conviction and two year sentence for preparing false tax returns, witness retaliation, and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission."
The President-elect didn't mention Charles' conviction or pardon in his announcement on Saturday.
Donald Trump's Cabinet Picks
In the days following his dominant Election Day victory, President-elect Donald Trump has begun carving out his future administation.
Here's a list of Trump's confirmed cabinet picks:
- Susie Wiles - White House Chief of Staff
- Dr. Mehmet Oz - Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Stephen Miller - Deputy Chief of Staff
- Bill McGinley - White House counsel
- Tom Homan - "Border Czar"
- Elise Stefanik - Ambassador to the United Nations
- Lee Zeldin - Environmental Protection Agency administrator
- Marco Rubio - Secretary of State
- Kristi Noem - Homeland Security Secretary
- Mike Huckabee - Ambassador to Israel
- John Ratcliffe - CIA director
- Pete Hegseth - Secretary of Defense
- Mike Waltz - National Security Advisor
- Steven Witkoff - Middle East envoy
- Elon Musk & Vivek Ramaswamy - Department of Government Efficiency
- Tim Scott - Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
- Tulsi Gabbard - Director of National Intelligence
- Matt Gaetz - nominated for Attorney General but later refused the position
- Pam Bondi - nominated for Attorney general just hours after Gaetz's withdrawal
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Jay Clayton - US Attorney for the Southern District of New York
- Doug Burgum - Department of Interior
- Todd Blanche - Deputy Attorney General
- Karoline Leavitt - White House Press Secretary
- Chris Wright - Energy Secretary
- Doug Collins - Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs
- William McGinley - White House Counsel
- Steven Cheung - White House Communications Director
- William Owen Scharf - Assistant to the President and White House Staff Secretary
- Dean John Sauer - Solicitor General of the US
- Commissioner Brendan Carr - Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.
- Linda McMahon: Education Secretary
- Matthew Whitaker - NATO ambassador
- Scott Bessent - Treasury Secretary
- Keith Kellogg - Special envoy to Russia, Ukraine
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