WASHINGTON ― The secretary of homeland security defended on Sunday reports that President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser Jared Kushner discussed establishing a secret backchannel between Trump’s transition team and Russian officials, claiming that it was “normal” and “acceptable.”
“Any way that you can communicate with people, particularly organizations that are maybe not particularly friendly to us, is a good thing,” Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told ABC’s Martha Raddatz. “It’s not a bad thing to have multiple communication lines to any government.”
Sec. Kelly calls back-channels "normal...and acceptable": "It's not a bad thing to have multiple communications lines to any government." pic.twitter.com/kzFYghd4eh
The report, published by The Washington Post late Friday, originated during a previously reported meeting between Kushner and Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak in December, before Trump became president. Also present at the meeting was former national security adviser Mike Flynn, who was fired earlier this year for lying to administration officials about discussing sanctions with Russia.
Like Trump and his top aides, Kelly dismissed the mounting scandals facing the administration by insisting that the real problem is the leaking of information, which is “darn close to treason,” the retired general said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
The reports about Kushner come as he is being investigated as part of the FBI’s probe into ties between Trump’s team and Russia. In addition to the meeting with Kislyak, Kushner also met with the head of a Russian state-owned bank.
Kelly on Sunday defended Kushner as “a great guy,” saying that there was no “big issue here.”
“I know Jared. He’s a great guy, decent guy,” he said on “Meet the Press.” “His number one interest, really, is the nation. So you know there’s a lot of different ways to communicate, backchannel, publicly with other countries. I don’t see any big issue here relative to Jared.”
President Donald Trump arrives to participate in a wreath-laying at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.
Trump and his wife Melania Trump are seen as they visit the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Trump and national security adviser H.R. McMaster eat Belgian chocolate during their meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel in Brussels, Belgium.
Trump salutes as he arrives at the Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy.
First lady Melania Trump Visits the Pediatric Hospital Bambin Gesï.
The Trump family meets Pope Francis.
Trump is welcomed by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud Salman (far right) as he arrives at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 20, 2017.
Trump waves from a car during the reception ceremony in Riyadh on May 20, 2017.
Trump and King Salman walk together during the welcome ceremony prior to their meeting at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 20, 2017.
Trump receives the Order of Abdul-Aziz Al Saud medal from King Salman at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh on May 20, 2017.
Trump, Tillerson (third from right) and other members of the U.S. delegation take part in a bilateral meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud at a hotel in Riyadh on May 20, 2017.
Ivanka Trump is seen at the ceremony where her father received the Order of Abdul-Aziz Al Saud medal at the Saudi Royal Court on May 20, 2017.
King Salman (right) welcomes the Trumps ahead of a dinner at Murabba Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 20, 2017.
Trump joins dancers with swords at a welcome ceremony ahead of a banquet at the Murabba Palace on May 20, 2017.
Trump looks on as Secretary of State Tillerson (left) and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef (right) exchange a memorandum of understanding, in which the Gulf states commit not to finance militant organizations, at the Gulf Cooperation Council leaders summit in Riyadh on May 21, 2017.
Melania Trump walks alongside Saudi Commerce and Investment Minister Majed al-Qasabi (center), as she visits the GE All-Women Business Process Services and IT Centre on May 21, 2017, in Riyadh.
Trump (fifth from left); King Salman (fifth from right); Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (third from left), the crown prince of Abu Dhabi; King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (fourth from right); Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah (fourth from left); Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (second from right); and Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said (third from right), deputy prime minister of the Sultanate of Oman, are seen during the U.S.-Gulf Summit at King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center in Riyadh on May 21, 2017.
Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi take part in a bilateral meeting at a hotel in Riyadh on May 21, 2017.
Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump and her husband, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, sit behind the president shortly before he delivered his remarks to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh on May 21, 2017.
The first lady chats with students during a visit to the American International School in Riyadh on May 21, 2017.
Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Saudi King Salman (second from left) and Egyptian President el-Sissi (far left) put their hands on an illuminated globe during the inauguration ceremony of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology in Riyadh on May 21, 2017.
Trump and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin speak during a welcome ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport on May 22, 2017, near Tel Aviv.
Melania Trump arrives at the President's Residence in Jerusalem on May 22, 2017.
Melania and Donald Trump stand next to members of the Christian clergy during their visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City on May 22, 2017.
Ivanka Trump attends a press conference at the President's Residence in Jerusalem on May 22, 2017.
Donald Trump walks with the first lady in Jerusalem's Old City on May 22, 2017.
Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalem's Old City on May 22, 2017.
(From left to right) U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Theresa May, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni watch an Italian flying squadron as part of activities at the G7 Summit in Taormina, Sicily, on May 26, 2017.
U.S. President Donald Trump greets French President Emmanuel Macron before a lunch ahead of a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25, 2017.
(Left to right) European Council President Donald Tusk, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Donald Trump, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker pose for a family photo during the G7 Summit in Taormina, Sicily, on May 26, 2017.
(From left to right) Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, U.S. President Donald Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Voktor Orban and British Prime Minister Theresa May pose at the start of NATO summit at the organization's new headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25, 2017.
U.S. President Donald Trump gathers with (from left to right) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Prime Minister Theresa May as they attend the G7 summit in Taormina, Sicily, on May 26, 2017.
Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger & SI’s Pat Forde react to the huge performance this weekend by Texas QB Arch Manning, Michigan and Notre Dame's spring games, Jaden Rashada entering the transfer portal, and more
Our final 2024 mock draft projects four quarterbacks in the first five picks, but the Cardinals at No. 4 might represent the key pivot point of the entire board.
Trump is entitled to an additional 36 million shares if the company's share price trades above $17.50 "for twenty out of any thirty trading days" over the next three years.
Oakland University outfielders John Lauinger and Reggie Bussey combined on what could be college baseball's best catch of the 2024 season against Northern Kentucky.
Arch Manning gave Texas football fans an enticing look at the future, throwing for 355 yards and three touchdowns in the Longhorns' Orange-White spring game.
