Kushner still 'valued member' of administration, says WH press secretary

In a testy exchange with ABC News's Cecilia Vega, Sarah Sanders defended US President Trump's son in law.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: MARCH 1, 2018 23:03
White House Senior adviser Jared Kushner sits behind U.S. President Donald Trump during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, U.S., November 1, 2017 (photo credit: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE)
White House Senior adviser Jared Kushner sits behind U.S. President Donald Trump during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, U.S., November 1, 2017
(photo credit: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE)
Jared Kushner's job in the White House is soundly secure despite his security clearance being downgraded, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in Thursday's White House press briefing.
In a testy exchange with ABC News's Cecilia Vega, Sanders was initially asked whether US President Donald Trump intends to fire Attorney-General Jeff Sessions. "Not that I know of," she said.
What about Kushner, Trump's son in law and senior advisor? Sanders was unequivocal: No.
"Jared is still a valued member of the administration and he's going to continue to focus on the work that he's been doing," Sanders said. "And we're going to continue pushing forward on that front as well."
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, told reporters Thursday at her weekly news conference Kushner doesn't belong in the White House.
"I don't think he should have been there to begin with," Pelosi said. "The president doesn't place a high value on experience, knowledge and judgment."
Kushner lost access to the most valued US intelligence report, the President's Daily Brief, as the White House has imposed greater discipline on access to secrets, it was revealed Tuesday.
Kushner, who has been operating under an interim security clearance for about a year, had his access to the highly classified briefing cut off in the past few weeks, two US officials familiar with the matter said.