That the Secretary of Everything volunteered to do the interview with Axios is surprising enough, but his comportment was one of the worst examples of looking like a talking head that I have seen in my very long PR career.

Message discipline is generally a good thing. We always counsel our clients to stay on message. When repeatedly asked by reporter Jonathan Swan of Axios about whether his father-in-law is a racist, you would think that Jared and his advisers would have settled on a more credible narrative, rather than repeat that “he wasn’t really involved in that.”

Perhaps in a figurative way but not unlike the actions of Kim Jung Un towards his detractors, Jared Kushner and the White House inner circle know enough not to say or do anything to paint President Trump in a negative light. The penalties for disloyalty would certainly be swift, harsh and public. My unsolicited advice to Jared? If you live in a glass house, get some better window treatment. Kushner’s media interview makes it abundantly clear that he should stay behind the scenes or beef up his communications skills and understanding of what to expect from a seasoned journalist. Thank God for a #freepress.