Trump: ‘I’m A Little Bit Upset’ Kushner Is ‘Much More Famous Than Me’ Now

White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner listens at right as President Donald Trump speaks during a breakfast with business leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. (AP P... White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner listens at right as President Donald Trump speaks during a breakfast with business leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

President Donald Trump on Tuesday appeared to joke about the rising profile of his son-in-law and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner.

“I appreciate everyone,” Trump said, thanking Republican leaders during a meeting with House and Senate leadership. “Jared. Jared’s actually become much more famous than me. I’m a little bit upset about that.”

Those present laughed at his remarks, though it was not clear whether Trump laughed along.

Trump last used that phrase to describe a figure of sudden, unexpected political prominence in January, when he applied it to James Comey, then director of the FBI.

“He’s become more famous than me!” Trump said of Comey, who he greeted at a White House reception for law enforcement.

He abruptly fired Comey in May, and the White House subsequently accused the fired FBI director of “grandstanding.”

Kushner made the cover of TIME Magazine last week, an achievement Trump has boasted about when it applies to himself and reportedly fumed about when it is bestowed upon others — such as chief White House strategist Steve Bannon, who has since been sidelined from a number of major decisions, including Comey’s firing.

Kushner’s star has risen in a number of less desirable arenas as well. The Washington Post reported in May that Trump’s son-in-law spoke to Russia’s ambassador to the United States about setting up a secret communications channel between Trump’s transition team and Moscow in December.

Reuters reported the same day that Kushner failed to disclose at least three additional contacts he had with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak on his application for a security clearance.

Kushner is also under scrutiny for meetings he held with a Russian banker, according to the New York Times.

On top of all that, the congressional committees investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election want to question Kushner about whether he sought Russian financing for his family’s luxury tower during those meetings.

Trump has maintained that he has “total confidence” in Kushner, though the New York Times reported in May that Trump has increasingly included Kushner with other White House staff for admonishments.

The President’s confidence in any one actor has little to no bearing on their ultimate fate, it seems.

In February, top White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said Trump had “full confidence” in Michael Flynn, then national security adviser, amid reports that Flynn had discussed sanctions in a call with Kislyak before Trump’s inauguration. Hours later, Flynn handed in his resignation.

In March, Trump said he had “total” confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the wake of revelations that Sessions met twice with Kislyak before the election. Later the same day, Sessions recused himself from the investigation into any ties between Trump’s campaign and Russia.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for zsak zsak says:

    Total Confidence = willing to be thrown under the bus

  2. "Jared’s actually become much more famous than me. I’m a little bit upset about that.”

    Actually, he’s probably foaming-at-the-mouth, cross-eyed, about to blow his top completely, insanely, stark-raving-mad upset about that, and we’ll likely read more about that in a late-night Twitter rant.

    Also, Mr. Ivy League-Educated So-Called President, it’s “more famous than I.”

    You’re welcome.

  3. It’s not, “much more famous than me.” It’s, “much more famous than I.”
    The “I” stands for “idiot.”

  4. Really, who cares?

  5. Avatar for tena tena says:

    [chuckle] I guess Jared will lose all of his jobs in the government now.

    And I guess that means that Bannon will be taking on the Peace in the Middle East job.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

85 more replies

Participants

Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for charliee Avatar for sysprog Avatar for rollinnolan Avatar for becca656 Avatar for sf_brian Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for sickneffintired Avatar for sparrowhawk Avatar for geofu54 Avatar for dickweed Avatar for khaaannn Avatar for dnl Avatar for darrtown Avatar for benthere Avatar for tena Avatar for spencersmom Avatar for sander Avatar for earthquakeweather Avatar for jefemeister17 Avatar for mkposs Avatar for centralasiaexpat Avatar for krux Avatar for canisthewarrior

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: