2nd most powerful man in America

Sky Views: Why is this man Trump’s number two?
Greg Milam, US Correspondent

There’s not much that’s normal about Donald Trump’s presidency.

But the emergence of Jared Kushner as the second most powerful man in the world is extraordinary.

The president’s 36-year old son-in-law, with no previous experience outside of the family’s real estate business, is currently running large parts of the United States of America.

See the photo of Trump’s “Situation Room moment” as the missiles rained down on Syria, and Mr Kushner is there.

Look at the images of a high-powered US delegation to Iraq and he’s on the sofa next to the chairman of the military joint chiefs.

“Mr Kushner is actually doing much of the work traditionally done by the Vice President and Secretary of State. Doesn’t he need to be accountable? Is simply marrying into the family qualification enough?” Greg Milam

Later, in Ray-Bans and with body armour awkwardly fitted over his blazer and button-down collar, he listens to a briefing on the ground.

“Kevlar by way of J.Crew,” snarked one magazine. “Ready for a yacht party in Iraq,” joked another.

The late-night host Jimmy Kimmel mocked Mr Kushner’s suitability for such a trip: “He is a real-estate developer… he has no experience dealing with foreign governments.”

He added: “This is a guy who negotiates rent. His job is to figure out how much it will cost to put a Dunkin’ Donuts on the first floor of an office building.”

Kimmel also pointed out that the eccentric former basketball star Dennis Rodman – who famously charmed the North Korean regime – has more foreign policy experience than Kushner.

Funny, yes, but this is deadly serious.

Jared Kushner meets with members of a US forward operating base in Iraq Image:

Because President Trump has deputed Jared Kushner to run a lot of things: overhauling the way government runs, shaping America’s trade deals, leading diplomacy with 20-odd countries. Oh, and bringing peace to the Middle East.

Yes, if Mr Kushner can’t solve the problems between Israel and the Palestinians, according to his father-in-law, then no one can.

The indications are that a shake-up of the White House team, reportedly the result of furious infighting in the West Wing, will reinforce Mr Kushner’s position as the President’s right-hand man.

There have also been questions raised about the growing White House profile of Mr Kushner’s wife, Ivanka Trump.

Of course, Americans will have been reassured by the series of TV interviews that Kushner has given… oh, but, wait, he hasn’t given any.

There has been no insight into what guides a man so close to the seat of power.

That matters because Mr Kushner is actually doing much of the work traditionally done by the vice president and secretary of state. Doesn’t he need to be accountable? Is simply marrying into the family qualification enough?

Imagine an alternate world where President Hillary Clinton appointed her New York investment banker son-in-law, with no government experience, to run large parts of the government. How would that have been greeted?

But then, as Trump supporters will point out, he won, she lost. So there.

http://news.sky.com/story/sky-views-why-is-this-man-trumps-number-two-10831128