Kushner Will Get ‘Frustrated Before He Gets Results’ With Border Wall, GOP Sen Predicts

U.S. president Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at Scheels Arena on June 27, 2018 in Fargo, North Dakota. President Trump held a campaign style "Make America Great Again" rally in Fargo, North Dakota with thousands in attendance.
FARGO, ND - JUNE 27: U.S. president Donald Trump (L) looks on as U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at Scheels Arena on June 27, 2018 in Fargo, North Dakota. President Trump h... FARGO, ND - JUNE 27: U.S. president Donald Trump (L) looks on as U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at Scheels Arena on June 27, 2018 in Fargo, North Dakota. President Trump held a campaign style "Make America Great Again" rally in Fargo, North Dakota with thousands in attendance. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner has been made the “de facto project manager” of President Donald Trump’s expansive border wall aspirations, the Washington Post reported Monday night.

But the decision to add another task to White House senior adviser’s agenda — he’s already responsible for Middle East peace and modernizing the entire federal government, among many other things — has been met with skepticism from even allies of the President.

“My hope is Jared can put a more laser focus on the project and the process,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND).

“Maybe he can light a fire under the responsible agencies, but if recent history is any indication, he will get frustrated before he gets results.”

The senator wasn’t alone.

“So he took a much more hands-on role in figuring out, mile by mile, how to get more wall up,” one unnamed person involved with the construction of the wall told the Post of Kushner. “It didn’t help put wall up faster and cheaper. His interventions actually just created more inefficiency in the process.”

Trump has promised to construct 400 miles of new border wall by Election Day 2020, which would require a blistering pace (and hundreds of lawsuits to acquire private land along the border).

His administration has completed 83 miles so far, according to government records, but almost all of that has been construction to replace existing barriers with something more formidable.

Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan told the Post that Kushner “doesn’t need to know the intricacies of the wall” because he “understands building stuff” and construction timelines.

Still, Morgan acknowledged, it was a big task.

“There are very real concerns,” he told the Post. “We’re being sued on a regular basis on multiple fronts. Land acquisition is a very, very challenging process. We’re trying to become more efficient and get more done. There are real challenges.”

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for jmacaz jmacaz says:

    IMO Kushner is already frustrated… Here is a list of Kushners accomplishments in all of his jobs:

  2. Hey now, that’s not fair.

    He was able to shake down foreign governments and individuals to belly up and give him a loan on his failing buildings.

    Selling US foreign policy for personal gain doesn’t happen on its own, after all.

  3. His interventions actually just created more inefficiency in the process.”

    Um…Full speed ahead!

  4. So, how soon before WonderKush starts offering the “Premium Preferred Passage Package” at the border for those who can afford it?

  5. Jared can always look upon the everlasting peace he wrought in the Middle East and feel satisfied his legacy is cemented.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

33 more replies

Participants

Avatar for discobot Avatar for eloise Avatar for mondfledermaus Avatar for pickwick Avatar for globalguy Avatar for epicurus Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for george_spiggott Avatar for squirreltown Avatar for thebigragu Avatar for daveyjones64 Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for lastroth Avatar for leftcoaster Avatar for careysub Avatar for fiftygigs Avatar for benthere Avatar for pshah Avatar for gajake Avatar for ljb860 Avatar for rickjones Avatar for jmacaz Avatar for maximus Avatar for rascal_crone

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