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Republican calls for Senate investigation of Trump Jr wedding paid for by Russian oligarch
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Republican Senator John Curtis of Utah has accused Donald Trump Jr. of corruption, calling for a Senate investigation into reports that a Russian oligarch helped finance part of his wedding in the Bahamas.
- Curtis urged the Senate judiciary committee to subpoena Trump Jr. regarding his business dealings, foreign relationships, gifts received, and any instances where his connection to former President Donald Trump was leveraged.
- The controversy stems from ProPublica's report that Umar Kremlev, a Russian boxing official linked to Vladimir Putin, funded the rental of a private island and fireworks for Trump Jr.'s wedding, which Trump Jr.'s wife described Kremlev as a "dear friend."
- Donald Trump defended the gift, stating he was told the money would be reimbursed and that gifting a wedding party is common and allowed, while Curtis compared the scrutiny to past Republican investigations into Hunter Biden's foreign dealings.
- Curtis's call for investigation signifies a rare public break from Trump by a sitting Republican senator amid broader GOP concerns about Trump's influence ahead of the 2024 midterm elections.
