Kushner’s $6 Billion Gulf Bet Backfires as Trump’s Iran War Shakes Riyadh and Doha
Updated
Updated · AlterNet · May 14
Kushner’s $6 Billion Gulf Bet Backfires as Trump’s Iran War Shakes Riyadh and Doha
5 articles · Updated · AlterNet · May 14
$6.16 billion in assets at Kushner’s Affinity Partners has not translated into Gulf leverage, with officials in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE angered that Trump launched war on Iran anyway.
Those states had opposed military action and, according to Bloomberg interviews, expected their investments and annual fees to help secure a greater voice in Washington’s Middle East decisions.
Retaliatory attacks after the war have killed and injured citizens, damaged infrastructure and hurt the Gulf’s image as a safe hub for tourism and business, deepening frustration especially in Riyadh and Doha.
Qatar had lobbied against an all-out conflict, but Kushner and other Trump advisers ultimately aligned with Israel’s push for a joint campaign against Iran.
The fallout is intensifying scrutiny of Kushner’s overlapping diplomatic and business roles and could push Gulf governments to reassess alliances with Washington that span decades.
Will the souring Kushner deal make Gulf states abandon 'checkbook diplomacy' in the U.S.?
Can U.S. foreign policy remain independent when key figures have billion-dollar deals with foreign powers?