President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will help shape the trillion-dollar infrastructure package that has become one of the centerpieces of the administration's economic agenda, a sign of his increasingly visible role in setting public policy. The new Office of American Innovation, which Kushner leads, is among more than a dozen agencies involved in drafting the proposal to rebuild America's roads and bridges. A White House spokesperson said National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are spearheading the effort. But Kushner's involvement is being closely watched — both inside and outside the administration — to see how his personal relationship with the president translates into the nuts and bolts of policy. On its surface, infrastructure seems like a natural fit for Kushner. His nascent office is tasked with working with the business world's brightest minds to break logjams in the federal government. As a real estate developer himself, Kushner is likely to understand the frustration many companies have expressed over the permitting process. Trump has also highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships, and investors are hopeful that Kushner will prioritize projects that can generate reliable revenue.

At a minimum, Kushner is likely to push for an expansion of what might be housed under the umbrella of infrastructure. Trump has not outlined what his trillion-dollar proposal will include, and there is heated debate over how wide a net the president should cast. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said last week the package would include not just roads and bridges, but also energy and water infrastructure as well. She also said it could possibly incorporate broadband and veterans' hospitals — two areas on which Kushner's office has said it intends to focus. Chao said the infrastructure proposal will be announced later this year. "The infrastructure we all grew up with is aging," she said during a speech celebrating the department's 50th anniversary. "Technology — the great disruptor — is creating a new type of transport based on digital — not human— command and control."

Exacerbating tensions