The move marks the end of a protracted, yearlong wait that raised questions about whether Jared Kushner had hit a snag in the clearance process over complications from the special counsel investigation. | Alex Wong/Getty Images Kushner gets permanent security clearance, lawyer says

Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, has attained a permanent security clearance, his lawyer confirmed on Wednesday.

The move marks the end of a protracted, yearlong wait that raised questions about whether Kushner, the husband of Ivanka Trump, the president’s elder daughter and and also a White House adviser, hit a snag in the clearance process over complications from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. Mueller is looking into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia related to the 2016 election.


Abbe Lowell, Kushner’s attorney, confirmed in an email to POLITICO that his client’s security status had been upgraded on a permanent basis, as first reported by The New York Times.

“With respect to the news about his clearance being restored, as we stated before, his application was properly submitted, reviewed by numerous career officials, and the normal process occurred,” Lowell said.

He added: “Throughout this process, Mr. Kushner has continued to work on a number of foreign policy and domestic issues with no interruption. And finally, having completed all of these processes, he is looking forward to continuing to do the work the president has asked him to do.”

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Lowell said the clearance change came after Kushner sat down for a second interview with Mueller, a meeting in which he said his client “answered all questions asked and did whatever he could to expedite the conclusion” of the federal investigation.

During a later interview on CNN, Lowell said Kushner’s first interview centered on Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying to federal prosecutors about his contacts with a Russian official.

Though Lowell declined to specify what was discussed during Kushner’s second sit-down with Mueller in April, he pointed to the fact that the special counsel’s team is looking into the firing of James Comey as FBI director, potential collusion with Russian officials and possible obstruction of justice by the Trump administration.

Lowell disputed reports that the special counsel is examining Kushner’s finances and business ties, however, saying that “those were not the topics” of discussion during the interviews.

Kushner has worked for a year in the West Wing on a provisional basis, operating on interim security clearances that allowed him to view classified materials while the FBI completed its background check on him.

He had his clearance downgraded in February amid fallout over the ouster of Robert Porter, the White House staff secretary, who was also operating on an interim security clearance. The action limited his ability to view some top-secret intelligence.

Despite changes to its internal protocols on interim clearances, the White House said that Kushner’s work status would remain unchanged and that he would continue to execute his policy portfolio, which has included work on key foreign policy matters.

Lowell on CNN did not say what level clearance Kushner had been granted. But he added: “He has been restored in a permanent clearance to get all of the material that he needs and all of the material that he got in the past in order to do the job the president has asked him to do.”