President Donald Trump and White House counsel Don McGahn are growing increasingly irritated with the months-long inability for Jared Kushner to secure permanent security clearance, sources told The Boston Globe.
The Globe reported Friday that dozens of White House staffers still lack the necessary credentials to do the important work required of the president's staff.
Typically, security clearance process can go on for several months because it requires in-person interviews and research. However, the current process has continued on far longer than expected.
Kushner and other close advisors have been permitted to see important materials in the daily briefing memos, despite the interim clearance levels. However, the problem is a source of ongoing consternation with the counsel's office because other staffers' investigations are dragging on as well. The counsel's office has not gone to extreme lengths to expedite those and they fear they can't do so because they didn't accelerate Kushner's.
when asked about it, deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley denied that characterization saying that the White House treats all security clearances "individually, neutrally and equally."
"I have inquired and been told that there are a dozen or more people at Mr. Kushner’s level whose process is delayed like his; that it is not uncommon for this process to take this long in a new administration (some taking as long as two years); that Mr. Kushner’s will take longer than usual because of the extent of his holdings, travels and lengthy submissions; and that there was no concern about the process or Mr. Kushner’s ability to do his job. This is just the latest in unnamed sources quoting second-hand hearsay concerning Mr. Kushner that, like the others, will be shown to be untrue," said Kushner's attorney Abbe Lowell.
Due to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into ties to Russia and the possible collaboration between the Trump campaign and Russia, some believe Kushner will never receive permanent clearance status.