‘WHAT’S THAT AGAIN?’

Jared Kushner Appeared Totally Clueless About What NATO Does, Book Claims

When asked about Article 5—the key rule that underpins NATO—the Trump son-in-law is reported to have asked for a reminder about what it was.

The president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, exposed his ignorance about what NATO was for, according to a new book from Daily Beast reporters Lachlan Markay and Asawin Suebsaeng, Sinking in the Swamp: How Trump’s Minions and Misfits Poisoned Washington. In an excerpt obtained by The Guardian, Kushner is reported to have shown his lack of knowledge about NATO despite being the “lead point of contact” for U.S. allies worried about Donald Trump’s repeated threats to the military alliance. He appeared to be unaware of Article 5, the treaty clause that underpins the alliance and stipulates that an attack on one member is an attack on all. In May 2017, Kushner reportedly held a NATO media briefing that raised eyebrows. “It was a word salad reminiscent of the president’s own rambling when it came to issues and minutiae with which he couldn’t be bothered,” according to the book. When National Security Council spokesman Michael Anton brought up Article 5, Kushner is reported to have responded: “What’s that again?”

The new book Sinking in the Swamp: How Trump’s Minions and Misfits Poisoned Washington (Viking) will be published Feb. 11. Pre-order your copy here.