Politics
Reports allege Dutch intelligence monitored Kushner's iPhone and Gulf-linked payments
An excerpt from a forthcoming book alleges Saudi and Emirati leaders deposited at least $2 billion for Kushner; he and the White House deny the claims.
The short version
- An excerpt from a forthcoming book alleges Dutch intelligence monitored Kushner's iPhone through a Russian hacking operation.[Hacker News]
- The excerpt alleges Saudi and Emirati leaders put at least $2 billion into accounts for Kushner, a claim he categorically denies.[CBS News · Hacker News]
- Kushner's attorney plans legal action, and the White House calls the excerpt fiction; the key unknown is whether the allegations can be substantiated.[CBS News]
Key facts
- Dutch intelligence reportedly found screenshots of Kushner's iPhone after gaining access to a server run by a Russian GRU hacking team.[Hacker News]
- The report says Dutch agents captured images of Kushner's screen as he used the phone and saw him log into a UAE bank account.[Hacker News]
- The report alleges Saudi and Emirati leaders put at least $2 billion into at least two bank accounts for Kushner.[CBS News · Hacker News]
- According to the report, Kushner was made a signatory on an account tied to the Watani Al Emarat Foundation, a UAE government-funded charity.[Hacker News]
- Four senior Trump administration officials said they were unaware of any presidential authorization for Kushner to access a foreign government bank account.[Hacker News]
- Kushner and his legal team categorically deny all accusations, and his attorney says they intend to pursue legal action against those responsible.[CBS News]
- White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the excerpt as fiction and said it relied on unnamed sources.[CBS News]
What remains uncertain
- The allegations remain disputed; Kushner and the White House reject them, and the White House says the author presented no evidence or documentation.[CBS News]
- The report says it is unclear how the royals organized their $2 billion in combined payments.[Hacker News]
- The report says it is unclear how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu learned of the money; a briefed person said he encouraged depositing it in Israel's central bank.[Hacker News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.