CNN —President-elect Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is seen as being pivotal to the incoming administration’s Middle East efforts, even though he is not likely to take a formal job within it, regional diplomats and Trump allies told CNN. Trump’s Middle East team has been taking shape this week after he selected a former Republican governor and a close friend and real-estate developer to take on key roles. Since Trump left office in 2021, Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, have moved to Miami and largely exited politics. Kushner has also maintained relationships with key players in the Middle East, including Israeli officials and leaders in the Arab Gulf. That is the key question,” explained Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator at the State Department, referring to Trump’s longtime friend and real estate developer who will serve as his special envoy to the Middle East.

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