Jared Kushner, son-in-law and top aide to President Donald Trump has lost his top-secret clearance despite his father-in-law/boss maintaining he should have it. The development is an ironic twist given Trump's accusations that Hillary Clinton mishandled classified intelligence by using her own email server.
During the 2016 election, Trump was dogged about Clinton's private email server and that it posed a national security threat. At the time Clinton was using the server it was not illegal to do so, rather it was considered "reckless," NBC News recalled.
“She set up this illegal server knowing full well that her actions put our national security at risk and put the safety and security of your children and your families at risk,” Trump told a Phoenix audience in October 2016.
Days before the election, he attacked Clinton again during a campaign stop in Florida.
“Think of it, can you imagine Anthony Weiner has probably every classified email ever sent. And knowing this guy, he probably studied every single one, in between using his machine for other purposes,” Trump said about . She then wiped the computer and allowed her husband to use it, but the emails could still have been accessed.
“Hillary Clinton will be under investigation for a long, long time for her many crimes against our nation, our people, our democracy, likely concluding in a criminal trial,” Trump said the following day at a Minnesota campaign stop.
Since taking office, Trump has been more cavalier with classified information. During a meeting with the Russian foreign minister and ambassador, Trump disclosed highly classified information that "jeopardized a critical source of intelligence on the Islamic State," The Washington Post reported. He then claimed he was "right" to have disclosed it.
Trump also shared classified intelligence with a lawmaker, who lacked access, in May 2017 while staff looked on in horror.
During a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last week a reporter asked Trump about Kushner's clearance. Trump said it would be up to his chief of staff John Kelly, but said that Kushner deserves the authorization and was being treated unfairly. The White House went on to say that Kushner would not be impacted by the strengthening of access.
The White House has "gamed" the system to ensure aides had access to top secret information despite not being cleared by the FBI. Many West Wing staffers and family members lacked clearance levels but they still had access to the information.
Kushner is being asked to handle Mexico, establish Middle East peace and other issues.
Watch the full report below: