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Report: Kushner Wanted to Set Up Secret Kremlin Backchannel

Russia’s U.S. ambassador was reportedly in the mix.

Top White House adviser Jared Kushner reportedly sought to set up a secret backchannel between the Trump transition team and the Kremlin. According to The Washington Post, intercepted communications show that Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Sergei Kislyak, told Moscow that Kushner proposed the secret channel during a December 2016 meeting at Trump Tower. Kislyak reportedly said Kushner “suggested using Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States for the communications.” Individuals familiar with the situation told the Post that the FBI now considers the meeting to be “of investigative interest” as part of its probe into possible Trump-Russia collusion. The report cautioned that Russians often relay false information in order to confuse U.S. spies, but officials questioned what would have spurred Kislyak to say this. Multiple outlets reported on Thursday that Kushner was being scrutinized by the FBI because of information he might have that would help with their probe.