WASHINGTON (AP) – Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly indicated on Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top adviser Jared Kushner and his communications with Russia are part of a wide-ranging probe by the Justice Department’s special counsel.
Kelly defended Kushner at a Senate hearing amid reports that he attempted to establish a “back-channel” communication between Russia and Trump’s presidential transition team. Under Democratic questioning, Kelly said “we have to make the assumption – and I will – that Jared Kushner is a great American.”
Kelly said back-channel talks have been common in U.S. diplomacy, but indicated that the matter is under investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of his probe into contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Montana Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, said he believes the conduct of the president’s son-in-law is “unacceptable” and raises red flags. Noting that “there’s all sorts of stuff going on here,” Tester asked Kelly “to find out what the hell is going on.”
As Tester persisted, Kelly repeated, “again, I think we have to make the assumption….”