In the United States, a Republican senator asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr., the U.S. president’s son, to testify following reports that some of the expenses for his wedding were paid by a Russian oligarch with ties to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. UNN reports this, citing Politico.
Details
The request by Senator John Curtis, which followed the publication by ProPublica, as the publication writes, "marks a significant break with President Donald Trump by a member of his own party."
"Questions have arisen regarding the ties of the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., to foreign businessmen and his acceptance of large gifts. These include a lavish post-wedding party on a private island organized by Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev, who reportedly visited China shortly before giving the gift as part of a delegation accompanying Vladimir Putin," Curtis wrote in a September 21 letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Republican Chuck Grassley, and the committee’s leading Democrat, Senator Dick Durbin.
"These concerns are heightened by Donald Trump Jr.’s active promotion of family-backed cryptocurrency projects, his pursuit of international real estate deals involving direct meetings with foreign heads of state, and his reported investments in defense contracts," Curtis added.
Curtis, also noting the profits received by the Trump family from cryptocurrency transactions, said that the incident was part of a broader pattern in which relatives of U.S. presidents can, reportedly, "improperly leverage their proximity to power."
In addition to the investigation into Trump Jr., Curtis asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena former President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, who, the publication writes, "has been embroiled in numerous scandals involving self-serving conduct for many years." Both men, he said, should testify "regarding their past business dealings, relationships with foreign individuals and organizations, gifts or other benefits they received, as well as any instances in which their relationships with the president were used or perceived as having value."
The White House reportedly did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday, but "it is unlikely that Trump, who demands loyalty from the Republican Party, will view the bipartisan nature of Curtis’s request as anything other than a personal insult."
Trump said that he "has no idea who Umar is," that he had "never heard of him, and he did not pay for Don and Bettina’s wedding, which took place in a completely different location and on a different day than the wedding."
Kremlev is president of the International Boxing Association and received the Order of Friendship from Putin for his "contribution to international sport and dedication to the global boxing family." He is also under sanctions from the Ukrainian government because of his ties to Putin.
A Republican representative on the Judiciary Committee confirmed that Grassley had received the letter but could not guarantee an investigation into the matter. The representative noted that the number of hearing dates is extremely limited through the end of 2026, and that preparation for investigative hearings usually takes several months before they can be scheduled.
"This will certainly become an issue that Democrats will raise if they gain a majority in either chamber next year," the publication notes.