Breaking History: A White House Memoir

This book gives a rare behind the scenes look into the life and actions of one of the most unheralded, yet most consequential American leaders of this century. From revolutionizing presidential campaigns to Operation Warp Speed and the Abraham Accords we will be telling our Grandchildren about how Jared Kushner changed the world for the better, and now with this book we can gain more insight into the who, what, where and how. Own a piece of history by purchasing and reading "Breaking History"

I’ve never been a fan of Donald Trump or his presidency. Nevertheless, I came to "Breaking History" with an open mind. More than a third of the way through this 465-page political memoir that is clearly stated and easy to read, my reaction is decidedly mixed. On the one hand, readers looking for an objective treatment of the Trump presidency, or Mr. Kushner’s performance as a Presidential advisor, will not find it here. After all, Mr. Kushner is Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, married to his daughter Ivanka. He can be expected to attempt to cast himself, his wife, and President Trump and his administration in the best possible light—which he does. But he does it to such an extent that he often comes off as disingenuous. In sum, we’re asked to believe that all three were merely unselfish, patriotic, rational all-Americans committed to fighting a cruel and corrupt Washington, D.C. culture that long ago forgot the American people in their rush to embrace globalism. In pushing this theme, Mr. Kushner glosses over a lot and fails, in many instances, to give the full context of the events he describes. In fact, he glosses over so much that, at times, I wondered if I wasn’t reading “The Cliff Notes” on the Trump 2016 campaign and ensuing presidency. On the other hand, there are some interesting facets to this book. For example, I found his recount of the recent history of the Middle East and the administration’s attempts to forge peace between Israel and various Arab states somewhat informative. In other words, I thought I learned something—at least enough to know that I probably need to learn more and should read further. I found his treatment of various co-workers inside the Trump White House—especially Steve Bannon and former Chiefs of Staff Reince Priebus and John Kelly—revealing. I wasn’t aware that Mr. Kushner was responsible for hiring Mr. Bannon—somewhat ironic considering Mr. Bannon’s alleged attempts to have Mr. Kushner removed from the White House staff. And then there was the incident involving John Kelly and the downgrade of Mr. Kushner’s security clearance. In any event, it seems that the culture inside the White House was just as cruel, vindictive, and self-serving as the supposed D.C. culture it fought against. Talk about a “team of rivals.” And I thought it important that Mr. Kushner discussed what he found to be his, and the administration’s accomplishments, especially in the areas of NAFTA, criminal justice reform, Middle East Peace, and COVID. I haven’t learned all that much about Mr. Trump, yet (although I did find Mr. Kushner’s attempts to equate him with Theodore Roosevelt somewhat “over the top.”) Probably, the most telling thing Mr. Kushner says about the former President is that he cared “more about results than process.” That may be a great way to operate when running a family business. But...