Kushner Team Rejects Book Claims of Hacked iPhone and Gulf Funds
A new book alleges Jared Kushner controlled billions in foreign money and his phone was compromised by Dutch intelligence, claims his lawyers now call baseless.
By Daniel Rogers ·
Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, rejected allegations Thursday that he managed billions of dollars in foreign money and that his iPhone was compromised by Dutch intelligence. The claims originate from an upcoming book by journalist Matthew Cole titled "Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed's Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East."
An excerpt of the book published in Vanity Fair asserts that Kushner had access to more than $2 billion in "slush money funds" from Middle Eastern leaders. The book states these funds were intended to buy influence within the U.S. government. It further alleges that Dutch intelligence agents discovered in 2017 that Russia had hacked Kushner's device. According to the report, the Dutch service turned a Russian spy to gain access to the phone, allowing them to view his screen and capture images he viewed.
The excerpt details specific financial transactions, claiming that leaders from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates deposited at least $2 billion into bank accounts tied to Kushner. One account was reportedly held at Israel's Central Bank. The report states that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman placed roughly $1 billion in at least one of these accounts. A source described as a person with knowledge of the money said the allocation was for Kushner's personal benefit.
Kushner and his legal team issued statements Thursday night denying the account. "The allegations made by this author are completely insane and never happened," Kushner said. He argued that his side denied every claim on the record, yet the author provided no verifiable evidence. Kushner specifically noted the absence of bank statements, wire transfer records, account numbers, or transaction dates.
His attorney described the claims as false and defamatory. The legal team announced plans to pursue action against those responsible, though they did not specify who that would include. The book's claims cover Kushner's tenure as a senior White House adviser in the first Trump administration, where he helped negotiate foreign policy deals involving Israel, the Gulf states, China, and Russia.
White House communications director Steven Cheung also responded to the Vanity Fair article. Writing on X, Cheung called the source book complete fiction. He described the author as a failed spy thriller writer who presented no evidence or documentation, relying instead on mysterious words from unnamed sources.
CBS News has not independently verified the excerpt from the book. The publication is scheduled for release in the near future, with the current dispute centered on the specific claims regarding the $2 billion in foreign funds and the 2017 phone hack.
Source: CBS News
