Kushner Denies Claims in Matthew Cole Book Alleging Payments Tied to UAE's Mohamed bin Zayed

Vanity Fair published an excerpt Thursday from journalist Matthew Cole's book "Princes and Thieves," which accuses Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, of receiving money tied to Emirati ruler Mohamed bin Zayed (MBZ). The excerpt says Dutch military intelligence hacked Kushner's phone in 2018 and found hundreds of millions of dollars in bank transfers connected to MBZ. The New York Post described the claims as secret accounts funded by Middle Eastern leaders totaling at least $2 billion. Cole also reports that the UAE sent $50 million via Azerbaijan to a Cyprus account for Kushner after he pushed for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's 2018 firing. Kushner's lawyers called the allegations false and denied that he had a Cyprus account or asked for or received money from MBZ. Lawyer Chad Mizelle, a former Justice Department chief of staff, said Saturday on X that Vanity Fair and Condé Nast were on notice of defamatory claims and that Cole had produced no bank statement or wire record. The release date was moved up from October 27. Vanity Fair did not answer inquiries Monday.

The New Republic, on the left, leads with the Tillerson allegation. Its headline states as fact that Kushner got Tillerson fired after being paid off, and it relies on Cole's text and quotes, with Kushner's lawyer's denial placed lower. The New York Post, on the right, leads with Vanity Fair's silence and Mizelle's demand, stressing doubts about accuracy, the absence of documents, and sources close to Kushner saying he was never asked for comment. Its headline calls the article explosive and mentions a lawsuit. Both name Cole, the book and the denial, but differ on whether the allegations or the reporting's credibility is the focus. Reason, an independent outlet, adds that the book mixes documented links with anonymous secondhand accounts.