Before introducing Donald Trump to a dozen Republican lawmakers at the Washington law offices of Jones Day, Sen. Jeff Sessions paused to acknowledge the man he said had facilitated the closed-door talks.

He said Jared Kushner, a 35-year-old real estate investor and newspaper owner, had suggested the get-together in March, arguing that it would enable Trump to win more allies on Capitol Hill, according to a person in the room.

Kushner is also Trump's son-in-law, having married the Republican presidential front-runner's daughter Ivanka in 2009.