Outsider trading

Jared Kushner faces locked door to trade meet, is stranded outside

Trump’s embarrassed special adviser left on doorstep, under barrage of reporters’ questions, for almost two minutes

Jared Kushner, son-in-law and special adviser to US President Donald Trump is left waiting outside the door of the United States Trade Representative for almost two minutes on September 6, 2018. (Screen capture: YouTube)
Jared Kushner, son-in-law and special adviser to US President Donald Trump is left waiting outside the door of the United States Trade Representative for almost two minutes on September 6, 2018. (Screen capture: YouTube)

Jared Kushner, son-in-law and senior adviser to US President Donald Trump, spent an awkward couple of minutes waiting outside the Office of the United States Trade Representative on Thursday night before the door was opened for him.

Someone apparently didn’t get the message that Kushner was on his way to a meeting to discuss the NAFTA trade deal, leaving him stuck in front of the huge double wooden doors trying to ignore reporters’ questions about the deal and an anonymous New York Times op-ed that has been roiling the White House in recent days.

The Trump administration has been trying to reach a deal that would allow Canada to remain in a North American trade bloc with the US and Mexico.

Last week, the US and Mexico reached a preliminary agreement to replace the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. But those talks excluded Canada, the third NAFTA country.

In a video of the embarrassing event, Kushner can be seen walking to the door, accompanied by a bodyguard. He tries the door, but it is locked, and knocks but there is no reply. He them presses the buzzer before pulling out his phone and calling someone.

Meanwhile, Kushner pretends to glance at his notes several times while casting awkward glances and shy smiles at reporters.

Finally, after almost two minutes of waiting, the door is finally opened and Kushner, along with his bodyguard, disappears inside.

Some social media wags felt the video would be enhanced by adding a soundtrack to the long, long wait, to avoid the embarrassing silence.

One pundit set the event to “Mad World” by Gary Jules, while others set it to Guns n’ Roses’ version of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” or Imgoen Heap’s “Hide And Seek.”

A year and a half ago Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to endure a similar wait in front of a different door on a visit to London.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waits to enter 10 Downing Street in London for a meeting with his British counterpart, Theresa May, on Monday, February 6, 2017. (Raphael Ahren/Times of Israel)

In an unceremonious start to the first meeting between Netanyahu and British Prime Minister Theresa May, the Israeli leader was forced to stand awkwardly outside the famous blue door of 10 Downing Street waving to gawkers and journalists before being ushered inside.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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