(JTA) — Charles Kushner, father of Jared Kushner and father-in-law of Ivanka Trump, hosted a fundraising event for Nikki Haley and speculated about the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador becoming president.
If Haley declares, and Donald Trump, Jared Kushner’s father-in-law, says he wants another shot at the White House, things could get interesting at the Kushner family seder.
Vanity Fair reported Monday that the day before, as Trump was on Fox hinting that he is likely to run again, Charles Kushner was hosting a brunch for Haley in New Jersey.
The elder Kushner predicted Haley would be “the first woman president” and guests donated to her political action committee. Haley has said she will announce her decision about whether to run in 2024 early in 2023.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump did not attend the event; they were in Aspen, Colorado, Vanity Fair said. But they have lunched with Haley since Donald Trump left office and Trump reportedly blames his loss of the presidency last year in part on Jared Kushner, who effectively managed the reelection campaign.
Of those who are closest to Trump, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump have been notably silent about Trump’s claims that the election was rigged.
In December, Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, a Jewish businessman and philanthropist, for his 2005 conviction for fraud, tax evasion and witness tampering. Kushner’s crime, for which he served 14 months in prison, generated national headlines because it included paying a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law.
Haley is among the more popular potential Republican candidates among pro-Israel Jews. She visited Israel last month with pro-Israel Christian evangelists and, according to Vanity Fair, spoke on Sunday night to a Chabad-Lubavitch event on Long Island.
Haley distanced herself from Trump after he spurred the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection to overturn the election results, but has since resumed her praise of his presidency, likely mindful of the hold he still has on the party.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
