The family of Jared Kushner, a top White House adviser and President Trump’s son-in-law, put the brakes on its negotiations to buy the Miami Marlins because of a report in the New York Post that team owner Jeffrey Loria might be nominated to become ambassador to France, it was reported Thursday.
Kusher’s brother Joshua has a preliminary agreement to buy the professional baseball team, but pulled back after The Post story broke, the Associated Press said.
The Kushner family said in a statement Wednesday night that the sale might “complicate” the appointment.
“Although the Kushners have made substantial progress in discussions for us to purchase the Marlins, recent reports suggest that Mr. Loria will soon be nominated by the president to be ambassador to France,” the statement said.
“If that is true, we do not want this unrelated transaction to complicate that process and will not pursue it. The Kushners remain interested in purchasing a team and would love to buy the Marlins at another time.”
Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, is not believed to be involved in discussions to buy the team.
The Post reported on Wednesday that chief of staff Reince Priebus has gotten Trump to sign off on Loria becoming the French ambassador.
Loria is a longtime contributor to both the Republican National Committee and Trump’s presidential campaign.
The 31-year-old Joshua Kushner is involved in the family’s real estate business.
Officials with the Marlins have not commented, and team president David Samson is expected to address the issue on Friday.