Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump and now a special envoy in the second Trump administration, allegedly had access to at least two secret foreign bank accounts in Israel and the United Arab Emirates, according to an excerpt from an upcoming book by journalist Matthew Cole. The excerpt, published by Vanity Fair on Thursday, claims the accounts held deposits totaling roughly $2 billion, funded by UAE leader Mohamed bin Zayed and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the start of Trump's first term.
The book, titled Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed's Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East, describes two accounts. The first, dubbed the “Alpha” account, was opened at First Abu Dhabi Bank and served as a “foreign policy fund” partially managed by Kushner and bin Zayed. The second, the “Beta” account, reportedly moved money from a bank in Azerbaijan to what appeared to be a government account at the Israeli Central Bank. Cole writes that the Beta account was set up “for Kushner's personal benefit,” according to a source.
Neither account was ever disclosed, Cole asserts. He notes that Kushner, as a senior adviser to the president, was required to file annual financial disclosure forms and to report any bank account to which he had signatory or beneficiary access, given his clearance to classified information. Cole also suggests that even if Kushner had disclosed the accounts, he might have been required to register as a foreign agent, since the UAE and Saudi Arabia were “paying for his influence within the US government.”
A prosecutor who worked on former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation told Cole that Kushner “may have violated federal bribery laws” if he had promised favors to Saudi or UAE officials after the accounts were established, even if the promise was merely “just speaking to his father-in-law.”
Kushner's denial and legal challenges
Kushner responded forcefully on social media, calling the allegations “completely insane, categorically false, and never happened.” He said the author provided no evidence—no bank statements, wire transfer records, or account numbers—and dismissed the book as “a mixture of fantasy, fiction, and advocacy.”
Kushner currently serves as a “special envoy for peace” under the second Trump administration, tasked with initiatives including negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine and the conflict with Iran. The government watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has filed a lawsuit seeking to block Kushner from serving in that role without Senate confirmation.
The allegations come amid broader scrutiny of financial dealings involving Trump family members and foreign interests. For instance, a Russian oligarch reportedly funded Donald Trump Jr.'s Bahamas wedding, and the White House intervened for a $620 million Pentagon loan to a firm tied to Donald Trump Jr. These stories highlight a pattern of potential conflicts of interest that resonate beyond US borders, particularly in Asia where US foreign policy decisions have significant impact.
For observers in the Indo-Pacific, the Kushner revelations raise questions about the integrity of US diplomatic engagements in the region. As Washington courts allies like Japan, South Korea, and Australia, the possibility that key officials might have undisclosed financial ties to Middle Eastern powers could undermine trust in American foreign policy. The book's claims, if substantiated, would represent a serious breach of ethics and potentially of law, with implications for how the US conducts its international affairs.
While Kushner denies the allegations, the book adds to a growing body of reporting on the financial entanglements of Trump's inner circle. Whether these claims will lead to formal investigations remains unclear, but they are likely to fuel debates about accountability and transparency in US governance, with ripple effects across the globe.
