Posted on 05/10/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
Ahead of President Donald Trump’s first major foreign trip to the Middle East in his second term, Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and former chief negotiator for the region, has once again emerged as a crucial advisor, CNN reported on Friday.
Despite not being part of the official delegation, Kushner has been working behind the scenes, offering guidance on negotiations with Arab leaders, including those in Saudi Arabia, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Kushner’s involvement stems from his deep relationships with Middle Eastern leaders, which he cultivated during Trump’s first term. His expertise has been instrumental in discussions concerning potential agreements that could normalize diplomatic relations between Arab nations and Israel, a continuation of the Abraham Accords from his first term, according to CNN.
One of the top priorities of Trump’s upcoming visit is to secure economic agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—countries that will be stops on his trip. These agreements are designed to increase investments in the United States. In parallel, Kushner and other Trump administration officials are working on the more ambitious goal of expanding the Abraham Accords to include additional Arab nations.
While Kushner is not expected to accompany Trump on this trip, his role in advising the administration has been significant. He was pivotal in securing the normalization agreement with the UAE in 2020, and he has been closely involved in shaping the approach to Saudi leaders ahead of the trip.
Sources close to the administration have noted that, although they are not anticipating a breakthrough with Saudi Arabia during this trip, the meetings between Trump and Saudi officials are seen as a critical opportunity to make progress. “We fully expect other countries to sign (agreements) first before Saudi,” one senior official explained.