Jared Kushner's Prominent Role in Father-in-Law Donald Trump's Transition
— -- All eyes were on Donald Trump during his first meeting with longtime rival President Obama, but there was another meeting that could have important political implications.
Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, was part of the small group the attended the White House visit on Thursday. He even had a private chat with Obama's Chief of Staff Denis McDonough.
Kushner, 35, was seen walking along the South Lawn with McDonough during the visit. Press secretary Josh Earnest confirmed that he too had the chance to meet with Kushner during the visit.
Trump only invited a select group of close advisers to attend the White House meeting. Aside from Melania Trump, Kushner was the only relative to make the trip.
Kushner is also playing a significant role in Trump's transition team, co-leading the effort to fill the administration's roles alongside New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Political insiders are speculating that Kushner's meeting with McDonough could lead to Kushner's appointment as his father-in-law's chief of staff, though it is unclear whether or not Kushner, who is a real estate developer and publisher of the New York Observer, would move to D.C.
His closeness within the Trump clan and the campaign has been well noted and he is said to have played an important role in several pivotal political moments.
He was credited with arranging Trump's high profile visit and meeting with the president of Mexico in late August. A senior Trump adviser with direct knowledge of the situation told ABC News at the time that "Jared executed this thing beautifully from start to finish."
Earlier in the campaign, he helped facilitate a meeting between Trump and top Republican leaders including Sen. Jeff Sessions, the Alabama Republican who is one of Trump's most vocal supporters.
Kushner, who practices Orthodox Judaism, also helped hone Trump's message to Jewish voters. During a D.C. news conference before his speech to the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in March, Trump said Kushner "spoke to many of his friends from Israel" and sources within the campaign confirmed that Kushner helped write Trump's speech.
“He’s emerged as a quiet power whose input is sought on a wide variety of important issues," a campaign adviser told ABC News in May.
