President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner opened up about his time in the White House, as well as his children’s relationship with their grandfather, during an interview with CNN Monday.
Speaking with CNN’s Van Jones in a wide-ranging interview in New York City, the president’s 37-year-old son-in-law spent most of the 45 minutes discussing policy issues, ranging from criminal justice reform to the US’ relationship with the Saudi government following the death of a dissident journalist at the Saudi consulate in Ankara recently.
The talk did stray from policy, on occasion, however, touching on personal matters involving Kushner’s wife, the couple’s three children, and his family’s relationship with President Trump.
Kushner said that while the ‘challenges’ of having both his wife and himself working full-time in the White House were ‘big strain’ on the family of five, Ivanka was able to make the balance between professional and family life.
“Anyone with Ivanka would be a ‘power couple’. She’s really amazing. When we started dating, I told her that if I wasn’t so attracted to her, she would be my best friend.
“Ivanka’s brilliant… Working together has given me an even greater appreciation for how effective she is with everything she does.
“It’s obviously challenging enough having one parent working in the White House; having two parents in the White House is a big strain, obviously for the family, but she does a great job balancing it.
“The kids, they’ve been great about it too.”
Kushner also lauded President Trump’s relationship with his children and grandchildren.
“He's a great father to his children and a really great grandfather.”
“We work very long hours in the White House and early on my kids would come over to visit me for dinner some nights when I'd be staying late and he heard that they were there and I didn't bring them by and he said, ‘What's going on?’ So every time they're there I make sure I bring them by the office.”
Kushner also detailed how Trump enjoys pampering the grandkids with treats Ivanka doesn’t give them at home.
“He has a little candy drawer where he knows how to makes sure they get stuff their mom won't let them have. He really loves his family and he gets a lot of pleasure out of that.”