Washington, March 2 (RHC)-- The New York Times reports President Daondl Trump ordered then-Chief of Staff John Kelly to grant his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, a top-secret security clearance last year -- over the objections of intelligence officials. 

The Times cited four people briefed on the matter, who say Trump sought to overrule the judgment of the CIA and then-White House counsel Don McGahn, who argued Kushner should not have been granted access to top-secret documents. 

Kushner failed to report over 100 foreign contacts on his initial application for clearance, which was denied by the FBI after a background check into his financial history and contacts with foreign investors that took more than a year.  Kushner later revised his application three times, and was ultimately granted permanent security clearance last May. 

The U.S. president has repeatedly denied intervening on his son-in-law’s behalf.