A December meeting between Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and one of the senior advisers in the Trump administration, and Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak at Trump Tower focused on Syria, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Monday.
During the meeting the Russians broached the idea of using a secure line between the Trump administration and Russia, not Kushner, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News. That follows a recent report from The Washington Post alleging that Kushner wanted to develop a secure, private line with Russia.
The idea of a permanent back channel was never discussed, according to the source. Instead, only a one-off for a call about Syria was raised in the conversation.
In addition, the source told Fox News the December meeting focused on Russia's contention that the Obama administration's policy on Syria was deeply flawed.
JARED KUSHNER WANTED SECRET COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL WITH RUSSIA, NEW REPORT ALLEGES
Details of the meeting follow a NBC report that Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, is currently under FBI scrutiny as part of the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Kushner suggested the use of Russian diplomatic facilities as a way to shield pre-inauguration discussions with Kislyak from monitoring, according to The Post.
Kislyak allegedly then relayed the suggestion to his superiors in Moscow. That was based on intercepts of Russian communications that were reviewed by U.S. officials, although neither the meeting nor the communications of the Americans involved were under U.S. surveillance, officials told the Post.
The source has told Fox News that Kushner is eager to tell Congress about the meeting and any others of interest.
Fox News’ Catherine Herridge contributed to this report.
The idea of a permanent back channel was never discussed, according to the source. Instead, only a one-off for a call about Syria was raised in the conversation.
In addition, the source told Fox News the December meeting focused on Russia's contention that the Obama administration's policy on Syria was deeply flawed.
JARED KUSHNER WANTED SECRET COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL WITH RUSSIA, NEW REPORT ALLEGES
Details of the meeting follow a NBC report that Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, is currently under FBI scrutiny as part of the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Kislyak allegedly then relayed the suggestion to his superiors in Moscow. That was based on intercepts of Russian communications that were reviewed by U.S. officials, although neither the meeting nor the communications of the Americans involved were under U.S. surveillance, officials told the Post.
The source has told Fox News that Kushner is eager to tell Congress about the meeting and any others of interest.
Fox News’ Catherine Herridge contributed to this report.
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