Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said President Trump’s family is not serving him well in the White House right now and that’s why he and others counseled Trump against hiring Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.
Christie said on ABC’s “This Week” the controversies ensnaring Kushner, from his financial entanglements in the U.S. and abroad to his downgraded security clearance, are exactly why he should not have hired a family member to be in his White House.
“It makes it much more difficult and there were many of us who counseled the president … against having family members having official positions,” Christie said.
“For Jared and for Ivanka and for all the other members of the family involved in one way or another, everyone has to focus on what’s best for the president,” he added.
He added Trump’s family was not serving him well in its current roles.
“Unfortunately, because of all the infighting and all the leaking, they’re ill serving this president,” he said.
Kushner and Christie were believed to be rivals inside of Trump’s campaign because Christie put Kushner’s father in prison while working as a U.S. attorney before becoming New Jersey governor.
Kushner’s security clearance was downgraded from “top secret” to “secret” last week after months of him working on an interim security clearance. His complicated financial holdings around the world were cited as the primary reason for the decision.
Kushner’s also been accused of possibly working against the Qatari government during a diplomatic spat between that country and other Gulf states last year after his father was denied financing for a real estate project by the Qataris.
When asked if Kushner should be fired, Christie said it’s something Trump will have to decide.
“The president’s going to have to make that judgment and this is most particularly sensitive because it’s a family member,” he said.
