US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser has reportedly continued to have private contacts with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) following the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Citing two former senior American officials and the two people briefed by the Saudis, The New York Times reported on Saturday that Jared Kushner became bin Salman’s “most important defender inside the White House.”
Kushner maintained his support for MbS and their personal bond continued despite revelations that Khashoggi was killed and dismembered inside Riyadh’s Istanbul consulate in early October on the orders of the heir to the Saudi throne.
Kushner even offered the Saudi crown prince advice about how to weather the storm caused by Khashoggi’s assassination, urging him to resolve his conflicts in the region and avoid further embarrassments.
“Mr. Kushner’s support for Prince Mohammed in the moment of crisis is a…