He botched his first foray into Middle East diplomacy before Trump even stepped into office after lobbying Britain to scuttle a United Nations vote on denouncing Israeli settlements, behind the back of sitting U.S. President Barack Obama's outgoing administration.
The official said Kushner had already arrived.
It is Kushner's and Bossert's first trips to Iraq, according to the statement. Visits from high-ranking officials are typically kept secret. He also said that Kushner and Bossert will visit USA troops in the field as well as attend meetings with senior US advisers and Iraqi leaders.
Kushner's trip began against a backdrop of an ongoing investigation into civilian deaths in an area of Mosul near the site of an airstrike by USA -led coalition forces last month.
He and White House homeland security advisor Tom Bossert accompanied General Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the trip.
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Trump has charged Kushner with making peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and has involved him in other foreign policy issues. But given that the White House is now is debating a Defense Department review of the way in the war against ISIS is waged, the move seems prudent.
Multiple White House and administration officials say Kushner has now eclipsed almost all of Trump's West Wing and Cabinet advisers in terms of influence, establishing himself as the key envoy for those outside the administration - including foreign diplomats, business executives and even some members of Congress - to direct their bidding.
The pair were scheduled to depart after only four hours on the ground, ensuring Kushner is back in time to manage Xi Jinping's visit later this week. Speaking anonymously, the executive said that Kouchner wanted to see Iraq with his own eyes and expressed its support for the Iraqi government. Shortly after taking office in January, the commander in chief initiated a comprehensive review of the Obama-era war plan, which candidate Trump lambasted as a piecemeal approach that was moving too slowly against Islamic State strongholds such as Mosul in Iraq and the Syrian city of Raqqa.
Weeks later, however, Trump drew the ire of Muslims at home and overseas by signing his first travel order that temporarily stopped immigration from several countries with a terror presence - countries that also happened to have large Muslim populations.
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