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The U.S President and Ivanka Trump have lied about the process initiated for her and her husband Jared Kushner. They allegedly obtained high-level security clearances during working in the White House. Reports have indicated that last year, former Chief of Staff John Kelly was ordered to get top-secret access for Kushner. The Washington Post said those orders came directly from the U.S President, in spite of the opposition from career intelligence officials and the chief of staff himself. Kelly reportedly expressed his concerns in private and documented Trump’s demands in a memo.

The New York Times said Donald McGahn previously served as White House counsel. McGahn also wrote a memo indicating the same situation. In spite of his obscure foreign investments and financial dealings as experts indicated it would bar anyone from receiving even a low-level security clearance. Kushner still managed to obtain access to some of the nation’s top secrets. It is noteworthy that the U.S President has final authority in determining who to obtain security clearances, even if their decision flies in the face of national security concerns.

There are at least 9 occasions in which the Trump family appeared to provide false statements surrounding Kushner and Trump’s security clearance process. It is reflecting an unprecedented effort by the president to hire his family in a White House administration and later cover up behind-the-scenes actions he took while disregarding the advice of his own intelligence community. The Washington Post said, “Despite reportedly having “pressured the president to grant Kushner the long-delayed clearance”. Trump said in an interview with ABC News’ Abby Huntsman last month. He said, “The president had no involvement pertaining to my clearance or my husband’s clearance”.

The New York Times reported that a spokesperson for Kushner’s attorney Abbe Lowell said, “In 2018, White House and security clearance officials affirmed that Kushner’s security clearance was handled in the regular process with no pressure from anyone. That was conveyed to the media at the time and new stories if accurate doesn’t change what was affirmed at the time”. The Democratic-controlled House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into how Kushner and others were able to obtain security clearances under Trump?