Yahoo News Donald Trump rails against 'hoax' as son-in-law Jared Kushner to be interviewed by Senate panel over meetings with Russians
Donald Trump has hit out at a "hoax" as it was revealed his son-in-law Jared Kushner would be interviewed by the Senate committee investigating meddling by Russia in last year's US election.
Mr Kushner, a senior adviser to the president, will be the first person in the White House, and the closest to Mr Trump, to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee to be asked about meetings with Russian officials.
He met once with the Russian ambassador, and once with the head of a Russian bank, during the transition period between Mr Trump's election victory in November and his inauguration in January.
Donald Trump and the Russian connections
The White House said Mr Kushner had met with dozens of officials from foreign countries including Russia as part of his job. He was willing to appear before the committee, wanted to be "transparent," and was "not trying to hide anything".
Mr Trump repeated claims that he has previously made against the Clintons, saying: "Why isn't the House Intelligence Committee looking into the Bill & Hillary deal that allowed big Uranium to go to Russia, Russian speech....money to Bill, the Hillary Russian "reset," praise of Russia by Hillary, or Podesta Russian Company."
"Trump Russia story is a hoax," he added.
Why isn't the House Intelligence Committee looking into the Bill & Hillary deal that allowed big Uranium to go to Russia, Russian speech....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2017
...money to Bill, the Hillary Russian "reset," praise of Russia by Hillary, or Podesta Russian Company. Trump Russia story is a hoax. #MAGA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2017
The revelations come as Devin Nunes, the chairman of a congressional committee who revealed that Mr Trump had been the subject of "incidental surveillance" by US intelligence, has confirmed he met his source on White House grounds.
It led to accusations that his committee's investigation into any links between Russia and people connected to Mr Trump's campaign could not be bipartisan and independent.
The Senate panel wants to ask Mr Kushner about a meeting with Sergei Kislyak, the Russian Ambassador, at Trump Tower in New York in early December.
It was also attended by Michael Flynn, who was later fired as Mr Trump's national security adviser after he was found to have been misleading about the extent of his contacts with Mr Kislyak.
According to the New York Times Mr Kislyak requested a second meeting with Mr Kushner, who asked a deputy to attend instead.
The Russian ambassador also asked that Mr Kushner meet with Sergei Gorkov, head of Vnesheconombank, the Russian state-owned development bank.
Vnesheconombank was among the Russian banks sanctioned by the the US and the European Union over Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea and interference in Ukraine.
The White House said Mr Kushner's meetings with the Russian officials led nowhere.
US intelligence agencies believe Moscow was behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and the release of emails embarrassing to Hillary Clinton during the election campaign.
At least four committees in Congress are now investigating Russian meddling in the election and any ties between Moscow and people associated with the Trump campaign. Last week FBI Director James Comey confirmed it was investigating.
Paul Manafort, Mr Trump's former campaign chairman, has already volunteered to talk to the separate House Intelligence Committee, as have two other former campaign advisers Roger Stone and Carter Page.
Mr Kushner, who is married to Mr Trump's daughter Ivanka, has just been entrusted by the president to bring his business principles into government.
He was appointed by Mr Trump to head what was described as a "SWAT team" of business executives in the West wing tasked with overhauling aspects of government.
He will lead a newly formed White House Office of American Innovation introducing strategic ideas from the business world and potentially privatising some government functions.
Announcing his new White House Office of American Innovation Mr Kushner told the Washington Post: "The government should be run like a great American company. Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens."
Key areas he will focus on include care provided for veterans, opioid addiction, technology, and workforce training.
Mr Trump told the Washington Post: "I promised the American people I would produce results, and apply my 'ahead of schedule, under budget' mentality to the government."
