Son-in-law of Trump to face Russia links probe

Washington, March 27: US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top aide Jared Kushner will appear before a Senate panel investigating Russian interference in the US election, the White House said on Monday.

Mr Kushner, 36, was Mr Trump’s main intermediary with foreign governments during the 2016 election campaign and now plays that role in the White House.

He arranged meetings between Mr Trump and leaders including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

But, it is his contacts with Russian officials that are now coming under the microscope, amid explosive allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

“Throughout the campaign and transition, Jared Kushner served as the official primary point of contact with foreign governments and officials,” the White House said.

Washington, March 27: President Donald Trump is set to announce a new White House office run by his son-in-law that will seek to overhaul government functions using ideas from the business sector.

A senior administration official said Mr Trump on Monday will announce the White House Office of American Innovation. The official sought anonymity to discuss the office in advance of the formal rollout.

The plans for the office were first reported by The Washington Post.

The innovation office will be led by Jared Kushner, a senior adviser to Mr Trump, and will report directly to the President.

Among those working on the effort are National Economic Council director Gary Cohn, Dina Powell, senior counsellor to the President for economic initiatives and deputy national security adviser, Chris Liddell, assistant to the president for strategic initiatives and Reed Cordish, assistant to President Trump for intragovernmental and technology initiatives.