Jared Kushner advises from afar as Ivanka Trump opts out of role in father’s second term

They will not take official roles and will be based in their Miami home, even if Kushner remains involved behind the scenes

Reading Time:3 minutes

Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner say they will not take official roles in the second Trump administration and will instead be in their Miami home. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:50pm, 15 Jan 2025Updated: 7:50pm, 15 Jan 2025

Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and her husband Jared Kushner enjoyed largely unfettered access to the president in his first term and were influential on a vast portfolio including Middle Eastern peace negotiations and Covid-19 vaccine development.

In the second Trump administration starting on January 20, however, they say they will not take official roles, and will instead be some 1,000 miles (1,600km) away from Washington DC in their Miami home.

Kushner, originally a real estate scion, now runs a private equity firm fuelled by investments from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Ivanka Trump, meanwhile, has eschewed politics and has said she wants to focus on her three children.

However, Kushner remains involved behind the scenes, advising on Trump’s Middle Eastern strategy, helping select appointees and guiding certain cabinet members through the transition, according to one source familiar with his work.

Republican vice-president elect JD Vance, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner listen as Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Reuters

Kushner is “very, very close” to Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and speaks to her regularly, the source said. Kushner is also involved with some hiring – for example working with incoming Attorney General Pam Bondi to help find a new Federal Bureau of Prisons director, the source added.