Kushner demoted

Jared Kushner has had his security clearance downgraded, according to reports on Tuesday, leaving the senior adviser and son-in-law to Donald Trump without direct access to top secret intelligence and sensitive documents that include the president’s daily brief.

Kushner was notified of the downgrade in a memo on Friday, along with other White House aides who had access to the highest-level interim clearances, Politico and others reported on Tuesday.

Kushner and the aides previously held what is known as Top Secret/SCI-level clearances, which provided them with unfettered access to classified information and some of the country’s most guarded secrets.

The president has the unilateral authority to share classified information as he sees fit, including with his son-in-law, despite the clearance downgrade.

[...]

A former spokesman on the US national security council, Tommy Vietor, posted on Twitter that Kushner would now find himself cut out of top-level intelligence discussions.

  Guardian

This is a win for Kelly, with whom Kushner and Ivanka have both been crossways since he was brought in to run things.

I never thought this would happen. Does it mean The Most Notable Loser also won't be bailing Kushner out of the trouble he's in with Mueller? If not, will Kushner turn on him? Has he already, and Old Lard Ass suspects it, so won't give Kushner top secret clearing? Am I getting a little beyond the evidence?

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:



UPDATE 2/28:

Is Kilgore Trout getting a little ahead of the evidence, or are we smelling the same aroma?



Of course, that doesn't necessarily apply to Old Lard Ass himself, but it could.  If it did come down to Trump v. Kushner, which side would Ivanka take?  I don't think that's obvious.

UPDATE 3/2:

For what it's worth...

Mr. Trump is also frustrated with Mr. Kushner, whom he now views as a liability because of his legal entanglements, the investigations of the Kushner family’s real estate company and the publicity over having his security clearance downgraded, according to two people familiar with his views. In private conversations, the president vacillates between sounding regretful that Mr. Kushner is taking arrows and annoyed that he is another problem to deal with.

[...]

Privately, some aides have expressed frustration that Mr. Kushner and his wife, the president’s daughter Ivanka Trump, have remained at the White House, despite Mr. Trump at times saying they never should have come to the White House and should leave. Yet aides also noted that Mr. Trump has told the couple that they should keep serving in their roles, even as he has privately asked Mr. Kelly for his help in moving them out.

  NYT

Of course, in the era of Trump, all we get is leaks, rumor and inuendo, because nobody will talk on the record. And after the leaks and rumors, The Most Notable Loser - or somebody - sends out that harpy Sarah Sanders to deny what was just reported. So, as always caveat lector.