White House Denies Involvement in Lakers Sale to Josh Kushner

The White House has firmly denied any involvement in the sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. The reported $12.5 billion sale was announced by billionaire Lakers owner Mark Walter on Wednesday, with Walter selling the team to Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger.

Walter had owned the Lakers for less than a year, and the deal surfaced amid investigations into potential financial improprieties linked to the insurance companies he oversees.

Speculation arose online that Trump may have played a role in the transaction due to the confluence of Kushner’s involvement and the federal probes. However, a White House spokesperson categorically denied any link to President Trump or his administration, stating, “This has nothing to do with President Trump or his administration.” A spokesperson for Kushner’s venture capital firm, Thrive Capital, echoed this denial, declaring the claim to be false.

It is worth noting that Kushner, despite identifying as a “lifelong Democrat,” has a history of supporting Democratic politicians through his philanthropic efforts. Meanwhile, his family has long-standing connections to Trump, with Jared serving as a White House adviser during the first term and a “Special Envoy for Peace” in the second term. Additionally, Trump pardoned both Jared and Josh’s father, Charles Kushner, for charges including tax evasion and fraud.

The Lakers sale follows a month after a proposal for Kushner’s Thrive Eternal fund to invest in the World Cup. FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced a new commercial arm of FIFA, "FIFA Forward Enterprise," to attract significant investments during each World Cup cycle. However, the plan faced criticism and pressure, leading to its cancellation. Despite the controversy, Trump publicly endorsed Infantino, making no mention of Kushner or Thrive Eternal.