During a closed-door deposition for the impeachment inquiry into his father, Hunter Biden responded to the probe into his business dealings by raising questions about a deal between Saudi Arabia and Jared Kushner. Hunter Biden pointed out the investments secured by Kushner, the son-in-law of former President Donald Trump, from Saudi Arabia. Hunter Biden questioned why his past foreign business dealings were being investigated while a deal involving Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, and Saudi Arabia was not receiving similar scrutiny. Rep. Dan Goldman, a Democrat, discussed Hunter Biden’s remarks with reporters during a break in the proceedings, noting the distinction Hunter drew between his own business dealings with independent businessmen and Kushner’s dealings with foreign governments.
Kushner and Saudi Arabia
Jared Kushner, former adviser to President Trump and husband of Ivanka Trump, maintained ties with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his tenure in the White House and continued the relationship afterward. Following his departure from the Trump administration, Kushner established Affinity Partners, a private equity firm that reportedly received a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). In 2018, journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi regime, was killed in a Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The CIA later concluded that it was likely that bin Salman ordered the killing, although he has denied involvement.
When asked about Khashoggi’s death at the Axios BFD summit in Miami, Kushner responded with exasperation, questioning why the issue was still being raised. He referred to bin Salman as a “visionary leader” and praised Saudi Arabia as one of the world’s leading investors. Kushner acknowledged Khashoggi’s death as “absolutely horrific” but emphasized that his role was to represent America’s interests. He defended the deal with Saudi Arabia, stating that it did not constitute a conflict of interest. Requests for comment from Kushner’s spokesperson and Affinity Partners have been made.
Hunter Biden deposition
During Hunter Biden’s deposition for the impeachment inquiry into his father, he questioned the focus on his business dealings and highlighted the lack of investigation into a deal between Jared Kushner’s private equity firm and Saudi Arabia. This prompted some Republicans in the room to express concerns, according to Democrat Jared Moskowitz.
In his opening statement provided to Newsweek, Hunter Biden emphasized the absence of evidence against him and criticized the partisan nature of the investigation. He asserted that the committees had been targeting him for over a year without substantiated evidence of wrongdoing by him or his father, Joe Biden.
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer, has been pursuing investigations into the Bidens’ alleged corruption. Comer stated that Hunter Biden’s deposition was crucial for their investigation and claimed to have uncovered significant evidence of corruption involving President Biden and his family.
Following the hearing, Comer noted the presence of contradictory statements and indicated the need for further review. Hunter Biden had initially refused a closed-door meeting but ultimately agreed to testify publicly, although House Republicans rejected this proposal. He ultimately complied with the subpoena for a closed-door deposition on Wednesday.
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