The remarks yesterday by Jared Kushner, a senior adviser to the president, came in response to a question about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign worked with Moscow.
ForeignPolicy.Com first reported Kushner's remarks, which were intended to be off the record. "They thought we colluded, but we couldn't even collude with our local offices," Kushner said, according to the website.
Kushner also told the interns that the White House doesn't know where Mueller's inquiry is headed. He said he didn't think he'd embark on a career in government and politics after Trump's victorious White House bid so he didn't carefully track his contacts with foreign officials, which is required information on a security clearance application.
His meeting with the interns is part of a regular series in which guest speakers meet with them each year. The organizers of the event initially asked the interns to write down their questions and Kushner would randomly select them to answer. But the congressional aide said Kushner insisted on taking live questions and didn't hesitate to answer them.
Kushner said: "All of my actions were proper." Hours before meeting privately with the committees, Kushner released an 11-page statement that detailed four contacts with Russians during Trump's campaign and transition. He described each contact as either insignificant or routine and he said the meetings, along with several others, were omitted from his security clearance form because of an aide's error.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
