{"id":8089813,"date":"2026-10-02T11:19:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T18:19:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/?p=8089813"},"modified":"2026-10-02T11:57:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T18:57:08","slug":"jared-kushner-cnn-misleading-middle-east-israeli-defense-companies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/media-platforms\/politics\/jared-kushner-cnn-misleading-middle-east-israeli-defense-companies\/","title":{"rendered":"Jared Kushner Accuses CNN of ‘Deeply Misleading’ Story Tying Middle East Diplomacy to Israeli Defense Companies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

Jared Kushner accused CNN on Friday of publishing a “deeply misleading” story that he said inaccurately linked his diplomatic work in the Middle East to Israeli defense companies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“CNN published a deeply misleading story and headline suggesting that my diplomatic work in the Middle East somehow benefited investments in Israeli defense companies,” President Trump’s son-in-law and Special Envoy for Peace shared on X<\/a>. “But CNN\u2019s own reporting says otherwise. Buried behind a paywall, it acknowledges: ‘CNN found no indication that Kushner\u2019s actions as a diplomat directly affected the investments reviewed.'”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CNN reported Thursday that Kushner\u2019s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, is the largest shareholder in Phoenix Financial, an Israeli financial institution that holds investments in at least nine companies supplying military equipment to Israel. The news outlet also reported that Affinity does not directly own stakes in those companies.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\tRead Next<\/strong>
\n\t\t\tDavid Ellison\u2019s CNN Challenge Is Already Here<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Kushner went on to explain that the company in question is not a defense company but rather one of “Israel\u2019s largest publicly traded financial institutions,” akin to Vanguard or Fidelity. He further noted that his investment in it through Affinity<\/a> predated Trump’s re-election as well as his own return to public service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Misleading stories will not distract me from the work President Trump asked me to do: help end wars, bring people together and pursue peace,” Kushner further noted. “That work is too important.”<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For the last 10 years, I have ignored false and misleading stories about me and focused on the work. But the cycle has gotten out of control where old lies get repeated as fact, new ones get added, and the record becomes increasingly distorted,” he added in a separate tweet<\/a>. “So from time to time, I\u2019m going to respond, not to every allegation. But when the truth matters, I\u2019ll put the facts and supporting information out publicly, and people can judge for themselves.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TheWrap has reached out to CNN<\/a> for comment regarding its Thursday piece, entitled: “How Jared Kushner\u2019s firm\u2019s investment in an Israeli company could be a major conflict of interest.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kushner’s comments notably come as his father-in-law continues to feud with CNN<\/a> over the news network’s White House press pool access.<\/p>\n\n\n

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“For the last 10 years, I have ignored false and misleading stories about me and focused on the work,” Trump’s Special Envoy for Peace and son-in-law says<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10241,"featured_media":8089822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"byline":{"profiles":[{"type":"byline_id","atts":{"term_id":507391,"post_id":7497596}}]},"_links_to":"","_links_to_type":0,"nb_breaking_email_type":"b8b5eaae-7af7-4a7d-8ff2-8ed7e2f9029d","nb_breaking_template":"single-story.html","nb_breaking_from_name":"TheWrap","nb_breaking_subject":"","nb_breaking_preview":"","nb_breaking_list":["7175590f5bc07e306daf11f472ba39bc"],"nb_breaking_header_img":7555420,"nb_breaking_should_send":false,"nb_breaking_content":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Discover why entertainment executives and professionals rely on the WrapPRO platform daily for exclusive coverage, analysis, deeper reporting, and access to VIP events & screenings throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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