THE probe into Russia’s role in the US elections pierced the innermost circle of the White House yesterday, with reports that Donald Trump’s son-in-law sought a secret communications line with Moscow – the most damning allegation yet from the scandal.

With the president now back in Washington after a gruelling overseas trip, the latest furore was stirred up after The Washington Post reported late Friday that Jared Kushner – arguably Trump’s closest White House aide, and husband to the president’s eldest daughter Ivanka – made a pre-inauguration proposal to the Russian ambassador to set up a secret, bug-proof link with the Kremlin.

Kushner, 36, even suggested using Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States to protect such a channel from monitoring, The Post said, quoting US officials briefed on intelligence reports.

The report, if confirmed, would raise new questions about the Trump team’s relationship with the Russians, who US intelligence agencies say tried to sway the November election in Trump’s favor.

News reports said the White House, reeling from the explosive developments in the long-running Russia saga, is creating a new rapid-fire communications unit to respond to the controversy, led by Kushner, senior presidential adviser Steve Bannon and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus. 

White House officials declined to comment yesterday.

Trump returned to Washington last night from his first overseas trip, to the Middle East and Europe. Accompanied by first lady Melania, Trump waved to reporters as he made his way into the White House but made no comment.

“We’re not going to comment on Jared, we’re just not going to comment,” said Gary Cohn, Trump’s chief economic adviser, during a press conference in Italy as a G7 summit wound down. – AFP, May 28, 2017.