Republican Senator John Curtis is calling for a Senate investigation into Donald Trump Jr's wedding, citing revelations that a Russian oligarch helped fund part of the event. Curtis urged the Senate judiciary committee to subpoena Trump Jr over his business dealings and foreign relationships, drawing parallels to Republican scrutiny of Hunter Biden.
The call for a Senate investigation into Donald Trump Jr's wedding, funded in part by a Russian oligarch, raises questions about potential foreign influence and the use of political connections for personal gain, echoing past controversies and potentially impacting the Republican party's standing ahead of elections.
Republican Senator John Curtis has called for a Senate investigation into Donald Trump Jr's wedding, citing reports that a Russian oligarch helped fund part of the event. Curtis, of Utah, wrote to the leaders of the US Senate judiciary committee on Tuesday, urging them to subpoena Trump Jr over his business dealings, his relationships with foreign individuals, and gifts he has received.
Curtis stated that Trump Jr's wedding warrants the same level of scrutiny Republicans applied to Hunter Biden's foreign relationships. He noted that while a toaster is a wedding gift, a private island party paid for by a Putin-connected oligarch is different. He argued that Republicans should not stop investigating such matters.
The call follows reporting by ProPublica that Umar Kremlev, a Russian boxing official with close ties to Vladimir Putin, helped cover the cost of renting a private island and staging a fireworks display for Trump Jr's wedding to Bettina Anderson in the Bahamas in May. Bettina Trump later described Kremlev on Instagram as a "dear friend" who had generously hosted post-wedding celebrations.
Donald Trump, who did not attend the ceremony, defended Kremlev's involvement. He said he was told by Trump Jr that the money would eventually be reimbursed and that giving a wedding party as a gift is "totally allowed" and "very common."
This is not the first time Trump Jr's conduct has drawn scrutiny over ties to Russia. He was a central figure in the Robert Mueller investigation following the 2016 election after it emerged he attended a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised damaging material on Hillary Clinton. Curtis's letter to committee chair Chuck Grassley and top Democrat Dick Durbin comes amid broader unease among Republicans about Trump's standing ahead of the US midterm elections.
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