It’s January 2026, and if you walk through the West Wing, you might catch a glimpse of a familiar, lean figure who technically isn’t even on the government payroll. Jared Kushner is back. Sorta.
After four years of swearing up and down that he was "done" with Washington to focus on his private equity firm, Affinity Partners, Donald Trump’s son-in-law has re-emerged as the ultimate "informal" power player. He doesn't have a Senate-confirmed title. He doesn't have a standard government salary. What he does have is the President's ear and a portfolio of global deals that would make a career diplomat’s head spin.
Most people think they know the Jared story—the real estate heir who married Ivanka and somehow ended up trying to fix the Middle East. But the 2026 version of Jared Kushner is different. He’s wealthier, more scrutinized, and arguably more influential because he's operating in the gray space between global finance and high-stakes geopolitics.
The Billion-Dollar Pivot to Affinity Partners
When Trump left office in 2021, Kushner didn’t head back to the family’s New York real estate office at 666 Fifth Avenue. He went to Miami. He started Affinity Partners.
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Honestly, the way he raised money for it sent shockwaves through the financial world. Within six months of leaving the White House, he secured a $2 billion investment from the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF). That’s not a typo. Two billion. This happened despite the Saudi fund's own advisory panel reportedly raising red flags about his "inexperience." Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) personally overruled them.
Critics call it a "pay-to-play" scheme. Kushner calls it business. By the start of 2026, his firm manages over $5.4 billion.
Where is that money actually going?
You might be surprised to learn that Jared isn't just buying office buildings. He’s betting on tech and healthcare. Just this morning, news broke that his firm led a $785 million deal to merge the fitness-tech giant EGYM with Playlist (the owner of ClassPass).
But it's not all gym memberships. Kushner has been funneling Saudi and Emirati cash into some very sensitive places:
- Israel: He’s doubling down on Israeli firms like Phoenix Financial and Shlomo Group. This is wild when you think about it—using Saudi money to fund Israeli business. It’s the Abraham Accords in physical, financial form.
- The Balkans: He has massive luxury real estate projects in Albania and Serbia.
- Gaming: His firm even took a controversial stake in Electronic Arts (EA).
Why He’s Back: The "Ghost" Diplomat of 2026
If he’s so rich and "enjoys being out of the spotlight," why is he back in D.C.? Because the world is on fire, and Trump trusts his family more than the "deep state" experts.
Throughout 2025 and into this month, Kushner has been acting as a shadow envoy. He’s been spotted in Moscow with special envoy Steve Witkoff. He’s been at the table for talks regarding the Gaza reconstruction and the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire negotiations.
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The logic is basically this: Kushner has the personal cell phone numbers of the most powerful people in the Middle East. Career diplomats have to go through channels. Jared just sends a WhatsApp.
He recently told a group at Harvard that his "advantage" was a lack of context. He looks at war like a real estate dispute. You have two sides, they both want something, and there’s a price for peace. It’s a cold, "first principles" approach that infuriates the State Department but seems to be the only thing the current administration wants to use.
The Conflict of Interest Nobody Can Solve
Here is where things get sticky. Jared Kushner the Businessman and Jared Kushner the Diplomat are currently the same person.
When he negotiates a ceasefire in Gaza that involves "post-war redevelopment," his investment firm is simultaneously backed by the very countries—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE—that are expected to fund that reconstruction.
"It's a perfect loop of influence," says Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen.
There’s no law that effectively stops an "informal advisor" from having these ties. Since he’s not a formal employee, he doesn't have to divest his holdings in the same way. He’s become a billionaire in the process. Forbes recently updated his net worth, largely because of the management fees Affinity Partners rakes in—roughly $25 million a year from the Saudis alone, regardless of whether the investments actually make a profit.
What Most People Get Wrong About Jared
People often paint him as a puppet or a lightweight. That’s a mistake. You don’t manage a $5 billion fund and negotiate international treaties by accident. He is incredibly disciplined. He doesn't do "off-the-cuff" remarks. Every move is calculated to build what he calls "economic connectivity."
He believes that if you make people enough money, they’ll stop fighting. It’s a purely transactional view of human history. Whether it works long-term is the $2 billion question.
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What to Watch for Next
If you’re trying to track where the Kushner influence goes from here, don't look at the White House press briefings. Look at the SEC filings and foreign investment registries.
Actionable Insights for 2026:
- Monitor "Abraham Accords" Stocks: Kushner’s investments in Israel using Gulf capital are a bellwether for regional stability. If those deals continue, it means the back-channel ties are holding.
- The Balkan Expansion: Watch the luxury developments in Albania. These are test cases for how the Trump circle uses private business to cement foreign policy alliances in Eastern Europe.
- The "Informal" Trend: Kushner has created a blueprint for future administrations. Expect to see more "special advisors" who bypass Senate confirmation by remaining private citizens while wielding executive power.
The reality of Jared Kushner in 2026 is that he has successfully merged his private interests with public policy in a way we’ve never seen before. He isn't just a son-in-law anymore; he's a sovereign wealth fund with a White House badge.
To stay ahead of these developments, keep a close eye on the Senate Committee on Finance. Despite the administration's stance, they are still digging into the management fees Affinity Partners receives. The paper trail there will tell you more about the future of U.S. foreign policy than any official statement will.