Career Timeline of Jared Kushner: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Jared Kushner, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Jared Kushner is an American businessman, investor, and former government official. As the son-in-law of Donald Trump, he served as a senior advisor during Trump's presidency from 2017 to 2021. His role included directing the Office of American Innovation. Kushner's involvement in politics stemmed from his family ties to Trump, leveraging his business background to advise on various policy initiatives.
1994: Normalization of relations with Jordan
In 1994, Israel normalized relations with Jordan. This is significant because the Abraham Accord, which Kushner helped broker, was the first normalization agreement between Israel and an Arab country since the normalization of relations with Jordan in 1994.
2000: Real Estate Investment in Somerville
In 2000, Jared Kushner purchased residential buildings in Somerville, Massachusetts, for $8.3 million.
2005: Dissolution of Somerville Building Associates
By its dissolution in 2005, Somerville Building Associates returned a profit of $20 million.
2006: Purchase of The New York Observer
In 2006, Jared Kushner became involved in the newspaper industry after purchasing The New York Observer.
2007: Purchase of 666 Fifth Avenue
In 2007, Kushner Companies purchased the office building at 666 Fifth Avenue for $1.8 billion.
2008: Becomes CEO of Kushner Companies
In 2008, Jared Kushner assumed the role of CEO in Kushner Companies.
2011: Hiring Elizabeth Spiers
In 2011, Jared Kushner hired Elizabeth Spiers as editor-in-chief of The New York Observer.
2011: Purchase of Office Tower at 200 Lafayette Street
In 2011, Jared Kushner purchased a 130,000-square-foot office tower at 200 Lafayette Street in Manhattan for $50 million.
2012: Departure of Elizabeth Spiers
In 2012, Elizabeth Spiers left The New York Observer.
January 2013: Traffic Growth
According to Vanity Fair, under Kushner, the Observer has 6 million unique visitors per month, up from 1.3 million in January 2013.
January 2013: Hiring Ken Kurson
In January 2013, Jared Kushner hired Ken Kurson as the new editor-in-chief of The New York Observer.
2013: Purchase of Jehovah's Witnesses Headquarters and Co-founding of WiredScore
In 2013, Jared Kushner's company led a transaction to purchase the Jehovah's Witnesses headquarters in Brooklyn Heights for $375 million. In the same year, Kushner co-founded WiredScore.
2013: Acquisition of Multiple Units
Throughout 2013, Kushner and his company acquired more than 11,000 units throughout New York, New Jersey, and the Baltimore area.
July 2014: Vnesheconombank Under International Sanctions
In July 2014, Vnesheconombank (VEB), the Russian state-owned bank headed by Sergei Gorkov, came under international sanctions. Gorkov met with Jared Kushner in December 2016.
August 2014: Acquisition of Apartment Portfolio in Middle River, Maryland
In August 2014, Jared Kushner acquired a three-building apartment portfolio in Middle River, Maryland, for $38 million with Aion Partners.
2014: Co-founding of Cadre
In 2014, Jared Kushner, with his brother Joshua and Ryan Williams, co-founded Cadre, an online real-estate investment platform.
May 2015: Acquisition of Stake in Times Square Building
In May 2015, Jared Kushner acquired a 50.1% stake of the Times Square Building from Africa Israel Investments Ltd. for $295 million.
2015: Ivanka Trump's Licensing Deal with Sanei International
In 2015, before Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination, Ivanka Trump began negotiations for a licensing deal between her clothing brand and Sanei International, a company with Japanese government investment, but backed out to avoid conflicts of interest.
2015: Soros Fund Investment
In early 2015, Soros Fund Management financed Cadre with a $250 million credit line.
April 2016: Endorsement of Donald Trump
In April 2016, the New York Observer endorsed United States presidential candidate Donald Trump in the Republican primary.
June 9, 2016: Meeting at Trump Tower with Russian Lawyer
On June 9, 2016, Jared Kushner, along with Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort, attended a meeting at Trump Tower with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a lawyer connected to the Kremlin, who purportedly offered compromising information on Hillary Clinton. Kushner reportedly found the meeting a "waste of time" and tried to leave early.
June 2016: Recommendation to Fire Corey Lewandowski
In June 2016, Corey Lewandowski was fired in part on Jared Kushner's recommendation.
June 2016: Offer of Compromising Information on Hillary Clinton
In June 2016, Jared Kushner's brother-in-law, Donald Trump Jr., was reportedly offered compromising information on Hillary Clinton from the Russian government through an agent of Emin Agalarov, which led to a meeting on June 9, 2016.
July 5, 2016: Kushner Addresses Anti-Semitism Controversy
On July 5, 2016, Jared Kushner responded to criticism regarding a Trump campaign tweet with allegedly anti-Semitic imagery by writing an open letter in the New York Observer, defending against accusations of racism and anti-Semitism. His estranged cousin, Marc, responded on Facebook, emphasizing the importance of renouncing hate, based on his grandparents' history.
August 2016: Nader Offers Help to Trump Campaign
In August 2016, George Nader, an emissary for the crown princes of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, offered help to the Trump presidential campaign. Mueller investigated meetings between Trump associates including Jared Kushner and George Nader.
November 2016: Kushner's Undisclosed Phone Calls with Russian Ambassador
Between April and November 2016, Jared Kushner had two undisclosed phone calls with the Russian ambassador, Sergey I. Kislyak.
December 2016: Meeting Between UAE Officials and Trump Associates
In December 2016, George Nader attended a New York meeting between United Arab Emirates officials and Jared Kushner, Michael Flynn, and Steve Bannon.
December 2016: Kushner's Meeting with Sergei Gorkov of Vnesheconombank
In December 2016, Jared Kushner met with Sergei Gorkov, head of the Russian state-owned bank Vnesheconombank (VEB), which was under international sanctions. While initial reports cited transition-related diplomacy, VEB later claimed the meeting concerned Kushner's family real estate corporation.
December 2016: Kushner's Meeting and Communications Request with Kislyak
In December 2016, Jared Kushner met with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador. During this month, U.S. intelligence officials reportedly overheard Kislyak relaying a request from Kushner to establish a "secret and secure communications channel" with the Kremlin using Russian diplomatic facilities.
2016: Role in 2016 Election
According to Eric Schmidt, Jared Kushner's role in the 2016 election was its biggest surprise.
2016: Investigation into Russian Meddling in the 2016 Election
In 2016, Investigations began into Russian meddling in the election and in July 2017, Jared Kushner appeared before the House and Senate intelligence committees in closed session as part of these investigations.
2016: Role in Trump Presidential Campaign
In 2016, Jared Kushner played a significant role in the Donald Trump presidential campaign, and was at one point seen as its de facto campaign manager.
2016: Kushner's Meetings with Russians
In 2016, Jared Kushner stated that he had four meetings with Russians during the presidential campaign and transition, but that none of these contacts were improper.
2016: Architect of Trump's Digital Campaign
In 2016, Jared Kushner was the architect of Donald Trump's digital, online, and social media campaigns, enlisting talent from Silicon Valley to run "Project Alamo."
2016: Kushner's Use of Private Email for White House Business
In 2016, it was revealed that Jared Kushner used a private email account for official White House business, although his lawyer stated that no classified information was transmitted.
January 9, 2017: Kushner Appointed Senior Advisor to the President
On January 9, 2017, Jared Kushner was appointed as Senior Advisor to the President. Consequently, he resigned from his positions as CEO of Kushner Companies and publisher of the Observer.
January 2017: Stepping Down From Newspaper Role
In January 2017, Jared Kushner stepped down from his newspaper role to pursue a role in President Donald Trump's administration. He was replaced by his brother-in-law, Joseph Meyer.
January 2017: Questioning of Kushner's Appointment
In January 2017, Jared Kushner's appointment as Trump's senior advisor in the White House was questioned on the basis of a 1967 anti-nepotism law.
January 2017: Kushner Resigns from Kushner Companies
In January 2017, after being appointed as Senior Advisor to Donald Trump, Jared Kushner resigned as head of his family's real-estate firm, Kushner Companies, and partially divested himself of some assets, but he transferred ownership of some of his assets to his brother and to a trust overseen by his mother rather than selling off his assets to a third party or setting up a blind trust with outside management.
January 18, 2017: Kushner Requests Top Secret Security Clearance
On January 18, 2017, Jared Kushner requested Top Secret security clearance, using "Standard Form 86 (SF86): Questionnaire for National Security Positions", omitting all of Kushner's contacts with foreign officials. He quickly updated his filing to notify government officials that he would supplement his disclosure to provide the required information.
January 20, 2017: DOJ Opinion on Anti-Nepotism Law
On January 20, 2017, the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion stating the anti-nepotism law does not apply to appointments within the White House, paving the way for Jared Kushner's role as senior advisor.
January 22, 2017: Kushner Sworn In
On January 22, 2017, Jared Kushner was sworn in as senior advisor and was given the office which is physically the closest to the Oval Office.
March 2017: Creation of the Office of American Innovation
In March 2017, President Trump created the Office of American Innovation, which Jared Kushner directed from 2017 until the end of the first Trump administration in January 2021. The office aimed to solve government problems using private sector strategies.
April 2017: Trump considers withdrawing from NAFTA
In April 2017, reports surfaced that Trump intended to withdraw from NAFTA. Kushner worked with counterparts in the Mexican and Canadian governments and convinced Trump to set aside these plans and instead enter into formal trade negotiations.
May 2017: Kushner's Attorney on Calls with Kislyak
In May 2017, Jared Kushner's attorney, Jamie Gorelick, stated that Kushner had participated in "thousands of calls in this time period" and did not recall any with Kislyak, regarding phone calls that happened between April and November 2016.
May 2017: Lighthizer confirmed, formal negotiations commence
In May 2017, Robert Lighthizer was confirmed as United States Trade Representative, and formal negotiations commenced, leading on the technical aspects of the discussions while Kushner managed the relationships with the Mexican and Canadian governments.
May 2017: Report on Kushner's Financial Disclosures
In May 2017, the Wall Street Journal reported that Jared Kushner had failed to disclose all required financial information in his security clearance applications, including owing $1 billion in loans. During 2017, Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump reportedly made $82 million in outside income while serving as senior White House advisors.
June 2017: Kushner's Role in Qatar Blockade
In June 2017, amid a naval blockade of Qatar by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Jared Kushner reportedly backed the Saudis and Emiratis, undermining efforts to resolve the conflict and pressuring President Trump to support them.
July 2017: Kushner Updates SF86
By July 2017, Jared Kushner had updated his SF86, disclosing contacts with foreign nationals and making government officials aware of the June 2016 Trump campaign–Russian meeting and Kushner's role in it.
July 2017: Kushner Appears Before Intelligence Committees
In July 2017, Jared Kushner appeared before the House and Senate intelligence committees in closed session as part of investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and released a public statement.
August 24, 2017: Kushner Visits Israel and Palestine
On August 24, 2017, Jared Kushner traveled to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Following this, he visited Palestine to meet with President Mahmoud Abbas, aiming to restart the Middle East peace process.
September 15, 2017: Kushner Granted Interim Top Secret Security Clearance
On September 15, 2017, Jared Kushner was recorded as having an interim Top Secret/SCI security clearance, granting him and his wife access to sensitive compartmented information.
October 2017: Senate Judiciary Committee Requests Documents from Kushner
In October 2017, the Senate Judiciary Committee requested numerous documents from Jared Kushner related to investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
November 2017: Kushner Interviewed by Mueller's Office
In early November 2017, Jared Kushner was interviewed by investigators from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office. The interview reportedly focused on former national security advisor Michael Flynn.
2017: Senior Advisor to Trump
In 2017, Jared Kushner became a senior advisor to Donald Trump.
February 27, 2018: Kushner's Security Clearance Downgraded
On February 27, 2018, Jared Kushner's interim security clearance was downgraded to "secret" status, along with other White House staffers, due to the Rob Porter scandal and ongoing investigation by Robert Mueller.
May 23, 2018: Kushner Receives Permanent Top Secret Security Clearance
On May 23, 2018, Jared Kushner received permanent Top Secret security clearance.
September 30, 2018: Lighthizer credits Kushner's efforts in trade deal
On September 30, 2018, Lighthizer stated that the $1.3 trillion trade deal “would not have happened” without Kushner's efforts. In recognition of these efforts, President Peña Nieto awarded Kushner the Order of the Aztec Eagle.
December 2018: Trump Signs FIRST STEP Act into Law
In December 2018, President Trump signed the bipartisan criminal justice reform bill FIRST STEP Act into law, supported by Jared Kushner. The legislation implemented reforms to the American prison and criminal justice systems, reducing sentences for non-violent offenders and improving prison programs.
2018: First Step Act
In 2018, Jared Kushner led the Trump administration's effort to pass the First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill.
June 2019: Senate Intelligence Committee Criminal Referral for Kushner
In June 2019, Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee made a criminal referral of Jared Kushner to federal prosecutors due to concerns that his testimony was contradicted by Richard Gates, a former Trump campaign aide. The referral did not accuse Kushner of making false statements.
June 2019: Kushner Denies Trump is Racist in HBO Interview
In June 2019, during an HBO/Axios interview, Jared Kushner denied that President Trump was a racist and spoke of his family's immigration history. He defended the Trump administration's decision to drastically reduce the number of refugees accepted by the United States.
January 2020: Transcript of Kushner's FBI Interview Not Released
In January 2020, the transcript of Jared Kushner's interview with FBI investigators was not publicly released as ordered by a federal judge, with the Justice Department citing the need for a security review.
January 28, 2020: Unveiling of Kushner's peace plan
On January 28, 2020, Donald Trump formally unveiled a peace plan authored by Jared Kushner alongside Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The plan offered Palestinians a conditional path to an independent state but was criticized for favoring Israel. Palestinian representatives were not invited to the unveiling.
March 11, 2020: Kushner helps write Trump's Oval Office address on coronavirus
On March 11, 2020, Kushner helped write the Oval Office address that President Trump gave to the nation on the coronavirus, along with Trump's advisor Stephen Miller. The address was "widely panned". In the address, Trump blamed Europeans and the Chinese for the virus, describing the virus as a "foreign virus".
March 2020: Kushner Sold Stakes in Opportunity Zone Firm
In March 2020, it was reported that Jared Kushner had sold stakes in a firm that benefitted from Opportunity Zone tax breaks, which are incentives for investment in low-income communities that he had promoted as a White House advisor.
March 30, 2020: Report on website for coronavirus testing
On March 30, 2020, The Atlantic reported that a website that Trump had said would help Americans to diagnose themselves and direct them to a nearby coronavirus testing site in a March 13 press conference had been a project between the government and Oscar Health, a company that Kushner had ties with. The website was quickly scrapped.
April 2020: Kushner defends administration's response to coronavirus pandemic
In April 2020, Kushner publicly defended the administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic. He said, "The notion of the federal stockpile is that it's supposed to be our stockpile. It's not supposed to be states' stockpiles that they then use."
April 2020: Ventilator shortage and Kushner's team struggles
In April 2020, the Department of Defense revealed a shortage of ventilators in the strategic national stockpile. Kushner described the administration's response to the coronavirus as "a great success story," despite the ongoing challenges. Kushner's team of volunteers struggled to procure PPE. No ventilators were produced from an $86 million contract advised by Kushner's team.
May 2020: Kushner claims coronavirus is under control
In May 2020, Kushner reportedly told those involved in the coronavirus response that the coronavirus was under control and that there would not be a second wave, despite the ongoing pandemic.
June 2020: Coronavirus cases surge in the US and conflicts of interest
By June 2020, coronavirus cases were surging in the United States. It was revealed that businesses owned by the Kushner family obtained coronavirus relief, which raised concerns with potential conflicts of interests due to Kushner's White House role.
August 2020: Kushner reiterates 'success story' claim during pandemic
In August 2020, when 170,000 had died from the coronavirus in the United States, Jared Kushner reiterated his claim from April 2020 that the administration's response had been a "success story."
September 15, 2020: Abraham Accords signing
On September 15, 2020, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain officially committed to the normalization deals with the signing of the Abraham Accords on the South Lawn of the White House.
November 30, 2020: Kushner travels to Saudi Arabia for negotiations on the Qatar diplomatic crisis
On November 30, 2020, Jared Kushner and Avi Berkowitz traveled to Saudi Arabia for negotiations on the Qatar diplomatic crisis, aiming to mediate a deal between the Saudis and the Qataris.
December 10, 2020: Israel and Morocco agree to full diplomatic relations
On December 10, 2020, President Trump announced that Israel and Morocco agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, which was negotiated by Jared Kushner and Avi Berkowitz. As part of the deal, the United States agreed to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara.
2020: Trump Expressed Regrets About FIRST STEP Act
According to reporting by Axios in 2020, Trump expressed regrets in private about having followed Jared Kushner's lead in going through with the First Step Act.
2020: Middle East Peace Process and Abraham Accords
In 2020, Jared Kushner was the primary Trump administration participant for the Middle East Peace Process, authoring the Trump peace plan and facilitating the talks that led to the signing of the Abraham Accords.
2020: Estimated Ownership Stake in Cadre
In 2020, Jared Kushner's ownership stake in Cadre was estimated at $25-50 million.
2020: Kushner focuses on Middle East diplomacy
In 2020, Kushner started writing a memoir, made plans to move his family to Miami, and focused on his project of Middle East diplomacy.
January 5, 2021: Agreement ending Qatar diplomatic crisis signed
On January 5, 2021, Jared Kushner and Avi Berkowitz attended the GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia, where the parties signed an agreement ending the Qatar diplomatic crisis, following negotiations that Kushner was involved in.
January 6, 2021: Kushner returns from diplomatic trip during Capitol attack
On January 6, 2021, during the United States Capitol attack, Jared Kushner was returning from a diplomatic trip around the Persian gulf states.
January 11, 2021: Kushner arranges meeting between Pence and Trump
On January 11, 2021, Jared Kushner arranged a meeting between vice-president Mike Pence and Donald Trump to try to reconcile their relationship.
January 2021: End of Kushner's Role at the Office of American Innovation
In January 2021, Jared Kushner's tenure as director of the Office of American Innovation concluded with the end of the first Trump administration, after having directed the office since 2017.
2021: Leaves White House and Forms Affinity Partners
In 2021, Jared Kushner left his position as senior advisor when Donald Trump left office. Since leaving the White House, he founded Affinity Partners, a private equity firm.
2021: Kushner starts Affinity Partners
In 2021, Jared Kushner started Affinity Partners, an investment firm. He sought funds from sovereign wealth funds of Gulf countries, including the Saudi government's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which later invested $2 billion despite internal concerns.
2021: Affinity Fund Managment Fees
Since 2021, Kushner's fund had made $157 million in management fees.
March 31, 2022: Kushner speaks to House Select Committee on January 6 Attack
On March 31, 2022, Jared Kushner voluntarily spoke to the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack for six hours. He was the highest-ranking Trump administration official interviewed to date, as well as the first Trump family member to be interviewed.
April 2022: Affinity Partners' Limited Funding
In April 2022, it was reported that Jared Kushner's investment firm, Affinity Partners, primarily depended on Saudi money, having only $2.5 billion under its management at the time.
June 2, 2022: House Oversight Committee Investigation
On June 2, 2022, the House Oversight Committee opened an investigation into whether Jared Kushner traded on his government position to secure a deal with the Saudi government's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for his investment firm, Affinity Partners.
August 2022: Publication of 'Breaking History: A White House Memoir'
In August 2022, Jared Kushner's memoir, Breaking History: A White House Memoir, was published.
July 8, 2024: Kushner Joins Village of Indian Creek Council
On July 8, 2024, Jared Kushner succeeded Javier Holtz, joining the Village of Indian Creek council as a Village Trustee.
September 2025: Reported Billionaire Status
In September 2025, Forbes reported Jared Kushner to be a billionaire.
September 2025: Kushner Spearheads Electronic Arts Purchase
In September 2025, Jared Kushner spearheaded a purchase of Electronic Arts with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Silver Lake. The deal faced potential regulatory scrutiny, but some expected it to go through due to Kushner and Saudi Arabia's influence.
December 2025: Kushner Joins U.S. Delegation to Moscow
In December 2025, Jared Kushner, along with Steve Witkoff, traveled to Moscow as part of a U.S. delegation in Trump's second administration. They met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a revised U.S. peace proposal aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
2025: Informal Advisor in Second Trump Administration
In 2025, Jared Kushner returned to an informal advisory role in the second Trump administration, serving as a key intermediary in diplomatic negotiations regarding the Gaza war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
March 20, 2026: Trump Signals Potential Winding Down of Military Operations in Iran
On March 20, 2026, Donald Trump signaled a potential "winding down" of military operations in Iran, citing nearing completion of objectives, while Kushner and Witkoff were reported to be exploring a return to diplomacy based on previous Geneva frameworks.
2026: Kushner leads Nuclear Negotiations
In early 2026, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner led high-stakes nuclear negotiations with Iranian officials in Geneva. British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, who attended the talks, characterized Tehran's proposal as "surprising" and substantial, suggesting a diplomatic breakthrough remained possible.
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