Jared Kushner’s business deals draw attention

What’s happening: Former White House aide and former President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is attracting attention for his foreign business dealings, which have spread from the Balkans to Saudi Arabia.

Why it matters: There is no evidence that Kushner’s dealings are illegitimate. However, Democrats are accusing Kushner of influence-pedaling and are likely attempting to use his business ventures against President Trump to convince the American people of their supposed corruption.

Serbian deal: Kushner and former Trump diplomat Richard Grenell are planning to build a luxury hotel and museum on the site of the former Yugoslav Ministry of Defense. While Democrats have lambasted the move as influence peddling and called for investigations, there are strong arguments for Americans' involvement in revamping the site.

• Building a relationship: The destroyed Ministry of Defense building has sat since 1999 as a symbol to Serbians of Western aggression. By revamping the site, that reminder would be removed, and ties between the two countries could grow.

Arabian deals: While in the White House, Kushner played a prominent role in the Middle East, leading negotiations on the successful Abraham Accords and developing a relationship with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

• Cash injection: After leaving office, Salman’s sovereign wealth fund invested $2 billion into a new private equity firm opened by Kushner.

• Election politics: Kushner’s presence abroad provides Democrats with a useful angle for the coming election. As Biden’s influence peddling will likely make a comeback in the national conversation as Hunter Biden heads to trial this summer, Democrats may compare his business deals abroad with Kushner’s in an attempt to moot Republican charges of corruption.