Family Drama: Where Was Jared Kushner While The AHCA Floundered?

Donald Trump had been a big vocal backer of the American Health Care Act, which failed to make it to a floor vote today in the House.

Between him and other key senior staff members, there are multiple reports of 11th hour lobbying to get reluctant House members to support the bill. Still, one member of the inner circle was noticeably absent in the week leading up to the fiasco: Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Where was he?

Along with this wife, Ivanka Trump, another key cog in the president’s inner circle, Kushner was on vacation until Thursday, skiing with family in the posh Colorado town of Aspen. Paparazzi caught Jared and Ivanka taking leisurely strolls, enjoying ice cream cones with their three kids and winding their way down the slopes.

Meanwhile, back in Washington, Trump was fuming. According to a source close to the president, “[Trump] is upset that his son-in-law and senior adviser was not around during this crucial week.” Kushner did appear at the White House on Friday during the last gasps of the Obamacare repeal effort.

It is nothing short of embarrassing that Kushner and the family wouldn’t be around to help push the first major agenda item for the Trump Administration. We here at RedState (and elsewhere) noted that it was probably a bad idea to have Kushner and Ivanka in the inner circle, but he kept them close.

Now, during the first major test of his inaugural term, he couldn’t rely on family to help him. That could very well be an indicator of the type of support he’s going to get from Ivanka and Kushner – namely, none. There are plenty of more capable people out there who won’t go off and vacation during critical legislative weeks.

For their part, the White House is denying that there is any anger, but for the Kushner family to be away from D.C. during this week is evidence enough that they are not committed to the task of Making America Great Again. It’s a shame that they weren’t there, and Trump needs to have a chat with them and possibly rethink their involvement with the administration.

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