(CNN) President Donald Trump said Friday he will not decide himself whether to allow Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, to keep his temporary security clearance, telling reporters at the White House he'll leave the matter to his chief of staff John Kelly.

The disclosure marked the latest development in an ongoing drama over Kushner's clearance, which has been held up amid questions about his background check. It also provided another layer of intrigue to the acrimonious relationship between Kushner and Kelly, who have been at odds over access to the President and the classified materials he views.

It was Kelly who mandated last week that officials who'd applied for security clearances before July, but haven't yet received permanent access, would be stripped of their interim clearances. That includes Kushner, whose portfolio includes sensitive foreign policy matters like the Middle East and China.

The deadline for stripping officials of their interim clearances was Friday, though it wasn't clear by late in the day what specific action had been taken.

Kushner's security clearance has been the subject of intense speculation in the West Wing, where he holds a unique role as a senior adviser but also a member of Trump's immediate family. Kelly has told associates he wants the matter resolved, but problems have persisted in granting him a full clearance.

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