Jared Kushner wants the public to trust him to negotiate peace in Gaza while his investment firm holds a major stake in a financial giant invested in companies supplying Israel’s military.
Explain that conflict, Jared.
His firm, Affinity Partners, built a roughly 9.9% stake in Phoenix Financial. After selling a quarter of its holding in July for more than $340 MILLION, it remained Phoenix’s largest shareholder at 7.4%.
According to CNN’s investigation, Phoenix held at least $456 MILLION in nine military-linked companies—including approximately:
• $265 million in Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer.
• $68 million in Next Vision, which makes cameras for military drones.
• $40 million in Reshef Technologies, which produces electronic fuzes for artillery shells.
Other holdings include companies supplying tank components, military vessels and equipment used by Israel’s military.
Kushner says he does not direct Phoenix’s investment decisions. CNN found no indication that his diplomatic actions directly affected the investments reviewed.
But that does not resolve the central question: Why should the public accept a Gaza negotiator maintaining substantial financial interests in a company invested in suppliers to one side’s military?
The financial exposure is indirect. The demand for transparency should be direct.
Disclose the interests. Explain the safeguards. Submit to independent scrutiny.
“Trust me” is not a conflict-of-interest policy.
Mike