Kushner's Delegation Gets Snubbed in Egypt

Jared Kushner and visiting US officials were snubbed by the Foreign Ministry in Cairo on Wednesday in apparent protest over the Trump administration's move to cut and delay aid to Egypt. The nation's top diplomat, Sameh Shoukry, was to meet with the US delegation headed by Kushner, but a modified version of the minister's schedule showed the meeting had been called off shortly after the Americans landed in Cairo, per the AP. The protest came after the Trump administration on Tuesday cut nearly $100 million in military and economic aid to Egypt and delayed almost $200 million more in military financing, pending human rights improvements and action to ease harsh restrictions on civic and other non-governmental groups.

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi was still due to meet with the American delegation, which also includes Jason Greenblatt, US envoy for international negotiations; and Dina Powell, deputy national security adviser, according to the presidency. That meeting was due later on Wednesday. The American delegation, headed by presidential son-in-law Kushner, stopped in Cairo as part of a Mideast tour to press Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Egypt is among the top recipients of US military and economic assistance. It receives $1.3 billion annually in aid, plus hundreds of millions in economic assistance. In fact, the US has given Egypt about $80 billion over the last 30 years, notes CNN. (More Jared Kushner stories.)