Jared Kushner Seeks $5 Billion from Foreign Governments for Private Firm

Kushner's fundraising efforts raise conflict of interest concerns as he works as a U.S. government negotiator.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 11:43am

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Former President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is reportedly trying to raise over $5 billion from foreign governments, including Saudi Arabia, for his private equity firm Affinity Partners. This fundraising effort comes while Kushner is working as one of the U.S. government's chief negotiators in the Middle East, raising concerns about the blurring of lines between public service and private profit-seeking.

Why it matters

Kushner's fundraising activities while serving in an official government role raise significant conflict of interest concerns, as he is leveraging his government contacts and position to benefit his private business interests. This type of behavior was common during the Trump administration and has drawn criticism from ethics watchdogs and political observers.

The details

According to the New York Times, representatives from Kushner's firm Affinity Partners have already met with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is led by Kushner's ally Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The PIF had previously invested $2 billion in Affinity soon after Trump's first term ended. Kushner also reportedly discussed his fundraising plans with international business leaders while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland as an official U.S. delegate.

  • In December 2024, Kushner told a podcaster that Affinity 'doesn't have to raise capital for the next four years.'
  • Kushner founded Affinity Partners in 2021 after Trump's first term.
  • On February 19, Kushner was appointed as Special Envoy for Peace, starting a 30-day clock for him to file a public financial disclosure report.

The players

Jared Kushner

Former President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a senior advisor in the Trump administration, who is now trying to raise over $5 billion from foreign governments for his private equity firm Affinity Partners.

Mohammed bin Salman

The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who leads the country's Public Investment Fund that has already invested $2 billion in Kushner's Affinity Partners.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

A government ethics watchdog organization that has raised concerns about Kushner's potential conflicts of interest due to his business dealings and investments in the same countries and conflicts that he worked on as a government official.

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What they’re saying

“Kushner's previous unofficial role raised substantial conflict of interest concerns given Kushner's business and investments in the very countries and conflicts that he had been working on — and because Kushner had no defined position, he was not subject to any ethics laws, security clearance process or Senate confirmation.”

— Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) (CREW)

“Kushner's fundraising '[shows] the blurring of the lines between public service and private profit-seeking' in Trump's administration.”

— New York Times (New York Times)

“any of dozens of things they do would've been a presidency ending scandal for any other president”

— Brian Rosenwald, Political historian (X)

What’s next

Kushner's appointment as Special Envoy for Peace on Feb. 19 started the clock on a 30-day requirement for him to file a public financial disclosure report, which will provide more details on his business dealings and potential conflicts of interest.

The takeaway

Kushner's efforts to raise billions from foreign governments for his private firm while serving in an official government role highlight the ongoing concerns about the Trump administration's blurring of the lines between public service and private profit-seeking. This case underscores the need for stronger ethics rules and oversight to prevent such conflicts of interest in the future.