As early as 2012, the Kushner Companies had reached out to the family of Israeli businessman Beny Steinmetz to potentially invest in the property. From 2014 through 2016, Kushner Companies reportedly held talks with former Prime Minister of Qatar Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani to invest in the project. Trump ally Thomas J. Barrack Jr. claimed to have arranged the meetings, and later said a tentative deal for a $500 million equity investment fell apart because Al Thani wanted to avoid conflict of interests due to Jared Kushner's White House role. In late 2015, Saudi Arabian billionaire Fawaz Alhokair reportedly considered an investment in the property and in 2016, Kushner reportedly held talks with the South Korean state-owned sovereign wealth fund Korea Investment Corporation, however, neither deal was ever closed. French billionaire Bernard Arnault was also reportedly asked to invest in the retail portion of the property but declined.