Jared Kushner still waiting on permanent security clearance

It’s been 10 months since President Trump took office and Jared Kushner is still waiting on his permanent security clearance, according to a report.

White House officials and others with knowledge on the matter told Politico on Thursday that the application Kushner filed had not yet been cleared, despite his status as Trump’s son-in-law and top adviser.

They said that the 36-year-old will continue to use his interim security clearance for the time being, which is completely valid and allows him to work on foreign policy issues and other highly sensitive matters.

Kushner — who joined the Trump administration immediately after his inauguration — was one of several advisers to join the president during his tour of Asia this month.

Sources told Politico that the application he filed at the start of the year has been amended multiple times to reflect his contacts with the Russians and other foreign officials, which he reportedly failed to list.

On Thursday, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein sent a letter to Kushner — asking him to cough up numerous documents “related to his security clearance.” They included “transcripts from other committee interviews, additional documents from previous requests” and “communications with (former national security adviser) Michael Flynn.”

Kushner’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, later released a statement in response, saying he “will be open” to responding to any and all requests from the committee.

The White House told Politico that a recent backlog has ultimately lengthened the security clearance process. They said the issue was being caused by the high number of first-time officials that were selected by Trump — and was “completely normal.”

“As a general rule, with respect to clearances, when you have people who have never had one before and they have massive financial and foreign connection and a staggering amount of business interests, like some of the people accompanying Trump, it wouldn’t be unheard of,” explained Mark Zaid, a prominent security clearance lawyer stationed out of DC.

Officials seeking a security clearance are required to fill out an SF-86 form, indicating any and all foreign contacts. They must then provide an extensive history of their financial background, along with a list of references and contacts, before being interviewed by the State Department.

Kushner was reportedly interviewed this summer.

Sources told Politico that his business activities in the private sector and family’s storied history in real estate have been viewed as complicating factors, in addition to his meetings with the Russians and other foreign contacts.

“Can you recall if there has ever been an applicant having to submit four addenda detailing over 100 errors and omissions being able to maintain their security clearance once those errors and omission have been identified?” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, of Illinois, asked Director Charles Phalen, of the National Background Investigations Bureau, during a Congressional hearing in October.

“I have never seen that level of mistakes,” Phalen said.

Experts say that when push comes to shove, President Trump could eventually just approve Kushner’s clearance himself — though this rarely happens.

“The goal has always been 90 days,” said Leslie McAdoo Gordon, a Washington lawyer who has represented countless people in security clearance cases.

“Some of them get resolved in 90 days, but many of them don’t,” she told Politico. “It can take months. It can occasionally take years. You just have to work the system.”

Describing Kushner’s situation, Gordon added: “From everything you read, it’s apparent there are issues there…It’s a labyrinthine process, but it’s usually pretty fair and transparent.”