Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner testifies to Capitol riot committee

Jared Kushner has become the highest-ranking Trump adviser and first family member to testify before a panel probing last year’s Capitol assault.

Jared Kushner returning from Saudi Arabia on January 6, 2021. Picture: AFP

Former US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top White House aide Jared Kushner has answered questions from the house panel investigating last year’s assault on the ­Capitol.

Mr Kushner, the highest-ranking Trump adviser and the first family member to testify, ­appeared in private by video link voluntarily on Thursday.

The House of Representatives committee is piecing together an account of the events of the January 6 insurrection itself, but also of the plot by Trump allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election and the misinformation campaign falsely claiming widespread fraud that led to the violence.

Mr Kushner was returning from Saudi Arabia on the day of January 6, 2021, and did not spend the night at the White House upon his return to the US.

His testimony came after it was revealed last week that conservative activist Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court judge Clarence Thomas, sent more than two dozen texts urging then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to help overturn the 2020 election.

Mr Kushner’s name appeared in a message from Ms Thomas dated November 13, 2020, when she told Mr Meadows: “Just forwarded to yr gmail an email I sent Jared this am … improved coordination now will help the cavalry come and Fraud exposed and America saved.”

It also emerged White House logs from the day of the insurrection show a gap of eight hours in Mr Trump’s record of calls, ­including at the time of the ­violence.

AFP