The special counsel charged with investigating former president Donald Trump has subpoenaed Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who both worked in his administration, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
Along with being the president’s daughter and son-in-law, respectively, Ms Trump and Mr Kushner served as trusted advisers and confidantes during Mr Trump’s campaign and administration. Mr Trump did not attempt to prevent them from speaking to the House select committee that investigated the January 6 riot to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the nomination of Jack Smith as special counsel late last year due to Mr Trump’s decision to seek the presidency once again, and since President Joe Biden is likely to run for re-election.
Mr Smith had previously subpoenaed former vice president Mike Pence. Mr Pence has sought to legally challenge the subpoena and has claimed that he acted as president of the Senate during the January 6 riot as per the US Constitution.
Ms Trump was in the Oval Office when Mr Trump tried to call Mr Pence to convince him to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Mr Kushner had returned from the Middle East that day, before he went to the White House as the mob overran the US Capitol.
Both Ms Trump and Mr Kushner played a role in trying to convince Mr Trump to call off the pro-Trump mob from the raid at the US Capitol.
But while Mr Kushner was present when Mr Trump announced his third run for president in as many elections, Ms Trump, one of his closest advisers, was not in attendance.
“Contrary to Fake News reporting, I never asked Jared or Ivanka to be part of the 2024 campaign for president and, in fact, specifically asked them not to do it,” Mr Trump said at the time. “There has never been anything like this ‘ride’ before, and they should not be further subjected to it.”
Neither Ms Trump and Mr Kushner’s spokespeople or Mr Smith’s commented to The Times.
