Jared Kushner
A real estate scion who leveraged business savvy and family ties to become one of the most influential and controversial advisers in modern American politics.
Born 1981 (age 45)·American businessman·Birthday: January 10·Millennials
Biography
Jared Kushner's life moved from New Jersey real estate offices to the West Wing with dizzying speed. The son of a prominent developer, he took over the family business after his father's imprisonment, navigating complex deals in New York City. His marriage to Ivanka Trump in 2009 fused two powerful real estate dynasties and catapulted him into the heart of her father's political universe. With no prior government experience, he was appointed a senior White House adviser in 2017, wielding exceptional influence across a sprawling portfolio that included Middle East peace, criminal justice reform, and the COVID-19 response. His tenure was marked by both significant policy moves, like the Abraham Accords, and intense scrutiny over his business interests and security clearance. After leaving Washington, he returned to private investment, founding a firm focused on assets in the Middle East. Kushner's narrative is a defining case study of how private-sector influence and familial relationships can reshape access to the highest levels of American power.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jared was born in 1981, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jared Was Born
The biggest hits of 1981
#1 Movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Best Picture
Chariots of Fire
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Jared's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1981Born
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1986Started school
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1994Became a teenager
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Could drive
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1999Could vote
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Turned 21
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2011Turned 30
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 40
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 45 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as a Senior Advisor to President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021.
- Was a key architect of the Abraham Accords, normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations.
- Played a central role in the passage of the First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill.
- Led the family real estate company Kushner Properties after his father's legal troubles.
Did You Know?
He purchased the New York Observer newspaper in 2006 when he was just 25 years old.
Kushner is an Orthodox Jew and observes the Sabbath, which influenced his White House schedule.
He graduated from Harvard University and New York University's law and business schools.
“I’ve been in the room when some of the worst military options were presented. I’ve also been in the room when some of the best diplomatic options were presented.”
