As tensions surge following US strikes on Iran, attention is shifting to a different battlefield — the finances and political influence surrounding Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Donald Trump. Kushner is reportedly seeking another $5bn in funding from Gulf investors for his private equity firm while regional powers that back his business interests push Washington toward confrontation with Tehran. The overlap has triggered fresh warnings in Congress about conflicts of interest and foreign influence at the heart of US foreign policy. Money, War and the Gulf Connection Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners, is already heavily backed by the Saudi state. The fund received $2bn from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, shortly after Kushner left government. Reports say he is now courting as much as $5bn more from Saudi and Emirati investors, even as those governments support tougher US action against Iran. Critics say the timing raises uncomfortable questions: foreign governments lobbying Washington for war are also major financial backers of a firm run by the president’s closest adviser. Congress Smells a Conflict Democratic lawmakers are pushing for answers. Jamie Raskin and Ron Wyden have warned that Kushner’s dealings could violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act if he is effectively advancing the interests of foreign governments while shaping US policy. They have urged an investigation into whether Kushner acted as an undeclared political intermediary for Gulf states seeking a harder American line against Tehran. The stakes extend beyond legal technicalities. War, Oil and the Strategic Stakes Supporters of the strikes argue the campaign weakens Iran and reassures US allies in the Gulf. But critics say the confrontation risks destabilising global energy markets and dragging Washington into a wider conflict. The strategic chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil flows — remains a key pressure point. If Tehran moves to disrupt shipping there, the economic shock would ripple worldwide. Political Pressure Mounts in Washington For the Trump administration, the geopolitical fallout now collides with a domestic storm. Questions about Kushner’s financial ties are landing alongside renewed scrutiny of the long-running scandal surrounding Jeffrey Epstein — an issue critics say the war has pushed off front pages. Opponents warn the controversy could intensify as more documents, financial ties and policy decisions come under the microscope in Washington’s increasingly bitter political fight. Trump's son-in-law has a $5 billion problem | Opinion
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