This Friday, the Washington Post broke a story with the headline, “Russia probe reaches current White House official, people familiar with the case say.” Although the Post’s sources wouldn’t identify the person of interest, it was confirmed that the “senior White House adviser under scrutiny by investigators is someone close to the president.”
From the Post:
The revelation comes as the investigation also appears to be entering a more overtly active phase, with investigators shifting from work that has remained largely hidden from the public to conducting interviews and using a grand jury to issue subpoenas. The intensity of the probe is expected to accelerate in the coming weeks, the people said.
The sources emphasized that investigators remain keenly interested in people who previously wielded influence in the Trump campaign and administration but are no longer part of it, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
After the story broke, New York Magazine‘s Yashar Ali speculated that only two people fit the Post’s description, namely Trump senior advisers Stephen Miller and Jared Kushner.
Person described as "close to the President" and a "senior advisor" to the President. Only two people fit: Jared Kushner and Stephen Miller https://t.co/bgzPjSmprd
— Yashar (@yashar) May 19, 2017
About an hour later, Ali tweeted that he was now able to confirm through “four people” that the White House official is Trump senior adviser Jared Kushner:
@NickFalacci @ericgeller @MiekeEoyang It’s jared Kushner have confirmed this with four people. I’m not speculating
— Yashar (@yashar) May 19, 2017
He added:
Jared Kushner was said to have encouraged Trump to fire Comey and also wanted Trump to go on the attack when Special Counsel was named. https://t.co/70zmRz7y9A
— Yashar (@yashar) May 19, 2017
Don’t forget about this. https://t.co/Ze0EHRgc1p
— Yashar (@yashar) May 19, 2017
MSNBC legal correspondent Ari Melber chimed in on the apparent scoop as well:
WashPo reports:
-person of interest is a "WH official"
– 3 officials had confirmed Russia contact
– 1 of them works at WH, Jared Kushner
— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) May 19, 2017
[This article, along with the title, has been updated to more accurately reflect the facts as we know them] Featured image: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
