Celebrity lawyer Arthur Aidala walked straight into ridicule on reside TV after attempting to brush off Jared Kushner’s billions, gleaned from Trump-adjacent business deals.
Appearing on NCS’s NewsNight with Abby Phillip, Aidala—identified for defending Harvey Weinstein throughout a rape retrial—argued it was truly “refreshing” to know Trump’s son-in-law was brazenly raking in cash whereas additionally quietly shaping U.S. policy.
The moral questions of Kushner’s income in the Middle East have come as he acts as an adviser to Team Trump on Israel’s peace negotiations with Hamas.
“Going again to Jared Kushner for a second, I truly assume it‘s refreshing that we know he‘s making all of this money,” he said. The panel erupted in laughter.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, pictured at the White House on Monday. / Alex Wong/Getty Images
Aidala doubled down as chuckles rolled across the table. “Okay. Let me just… how does Chuck Schumer, who has been in government his whole life, have hundreds, tens of millions of dollars?” The laughter only got louder.
“People in government make money all the time behind the scenes. All the time,” Aidala insisted.
Phillip pivoted, but not to save him. She threw a graphic on screen showing just how much Kushner’s international investments had ballooned: $500 million in Oman, $555 million in Jeddah and Riyadh, one other $500 million at Trump Tower Dubai, and $500 million at Trump International Golf Club—totaling effectively over $5 billion.
Ana Navarro, co-host of The View, pounced. “But the grift we know. But at least we know it’s refreshing,” she quipped, echoing Aidala’s doomed protection.
When Navarro pressed that the size of Kushner’s haul stays “out of public view” due to an absence of congressional oversight, Aidala melted down, speaking over company and sputtering out excuses.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was additionally triggered over the identical matter.
Leavitt snapped when requested if it was acceptable for Jared Kushner to be concerned in authorities negotiations. / Alex Wong/Getty Images
She was requested about whether or not it was acceptable for Kushner, who’s married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, to be concerned in authorities enterprise.
“How did the White House decide that it is appropriate for Jared Kushner to be working on matters that involve Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, three countries that combined have given him more than $2.5 billion for his investment firm?” requested New York Times reporter Shawn McCreesh.
“I think it’s frankly despicable that you’re trying to suggest that it’s inappropriate for Jared Kushner, who is widely respected around the world and has great trust and relationships with these critical partners in these countries, to strike a twenty-point comprehensive detailed peace plan that no other administration would ever be able to achieve,” Leavitt declared.
She then spent greater than a minute lavishing reward on Trump’s son-in-law and touting the president’s Gaza plan.