FILE - Jared Kushner (right), a senior adviser to Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump (left) are pictured in this file photo taken Monday, June 5, 2017. Donald Trump's oldest son, son-in law, and former campaign chairman, met with a Russian lawyer shortly following Trump's win. This appears to have been the first known private meeting between key aides and the president. Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr. confirmed that the June 2016 meeting was held after The New York Times published Saturday, July 8, 2017, a report about the meeting between the men and Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Stephanie Grisham reserved harsh criticism for Jared Kushner's forthcoming memoir.
Kushner was the president's "real" chief of staff, Grisham wrote in her tell all memoir.
Grisham stated that Kushner's actions in the White House were "completely irresponsible" and against protocol.
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Stephanie Grisham was the former White House press secretary, communications director and communications director. She reserved some harsh criticisms in her forthcoming memoir, Jared Kushner, a top White House official, and presidential son-in law.
Grisham stated in her tell-all "I'll take your questions now" that Kushner was the president's "real" chief of staff and had almost unmatched authority in the White House. Kushner even "called all the shots" during a pivotal meeting between Vice President Mike Pence regarding the administration's initial actions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Grisham said she was "embarrassed" and "disappointed" that Kushner "commandeered” the meeting with Pence, White House senior staff.
She stated that she was outraged that Kushner had dictated Trump's March 11 national address. Trump announced that he would ban European travel and that insurance companies would waive copays for COVID-19 treatment.
According to a excerpt from her book, "The more that I thought about it the more outraged and angry I became at Jared’s behavior," she wrote. He was not an expert in any of these things - shutting off borders, economic consequences and the health consequences – yet he seemed to be the one deciding the nation’s first actions to address the worst crisis in American history.
She cited one instance where Kushner helped Trump decide to travel to India. Kushner also dictated security measures to be taken on the ground in February 2020, despite fears about the pandemic.
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She wrote, "It felt totally irresponsible. It was against protocol. Which is the epitome Jared Kushner in Trump White House."
Melania Trump, former First Lady, reportedly agreed with Kushner that she and her step-daughter Ivanka Trump had not merited White House power. Melania, Grisham and other aides to Melania Trump privately mocked the pair as "interns."
"When I was working for the first lady of the East Wing, Jared and Ivanka were what we all called, because they represented in us obnoxious entitled know-it-alls," Grisham wrote. "Mrs. Trump liked the nickname and sometimes used it."
Grisham wrote that Kushner's arrogance and presumption grew while he was at the White House where he "threw all his power around with absolutely no shame."
She wrote, "I would venture the guess that Jared was changed by being in White House." "He was Rasputin wearing a tight-fitting suit."
The former first lady and president both condemned Grisham in the last weeks in personal terms. This suggests that Grisham’s separation from Max Miller, a former White House official, has prompted her criticism of Trump White House.
Trump stated that Stephanie didn't have the skills necessary and this was evident from the beginning," Trump said to The New York Times. "She had huge problems, and we felt she should solve those problems herself."
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