Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) has urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden to testify under oath about foreign business ties, gifts and potential influence. The move follows reports that a Russian oligarch reportedly linked to Vladimir Putin paid for Trump Jr.'s post-wedding Caribbean celebration, which Trump Jr. called a generous gift. Curtis said the reported payment raises concerns about foreign access to a president’s family and possible expectations of favorable treatment; the committee confirmed receipt of his letter but noted scheduling challenges.
Republican Senator Seeks Subpoenas for Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden After Report of Putin-Linked Oligarch’s Gift
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Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) has asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden to testify under oath about their past foreign ties, business dealings and gifts, following recent reports about an expensive wedding-related celebration allegedly funded by a Russian oligarch.
Curtis Requests Testimony
In a letter sent Monday to committee leaders Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Curtis asked the panel to compel both men to appear and answer questions about “their past business dealings, relationships with foreign individuals and entities, gifts or other benefits they have received, and any instances in which their relationship to the President was invoked or understood to provide value.”
What Prompted the Push
Curtis made the request after reports that Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev—who has been reported to maintain ties to President Vladimir Putin—covered costs for Donald Trump Jr.’s post-wedding celebration in the Caribbean in May. Trump Jr. and his wife, Bettina, acknowledged the payment on Instagram and described it as “an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend.”
“A toaster is a wedding gift. A private-island party paid for by a Putin-connected oligarch is something else,” Curtis wrote on X, urging Republicans not to abandon the scrutiny they once directed at Hunter Biden’s foreign relationships.
Concerns and Context
Curtis argued the arrangement raises questions about foreign access to members of a sitting president’s family and whether such ties could create actual or perceived expectations of favorable treatment. He warned that these relationships could pose national security vulnerabilities or create the perception that favors might be expected in return.
Sen. Dick Durbin publicly endorsed Curtis’s request. A committee spokesperson confirmed receipt of the letter but said scheduling hearings is difficult because dates are scarce through the end of the year.
Note: The request comes amid a broader partisan debate over oversight of foreign ties to presidential family members; Curtis referenced the extensive subpoenas Republicans pursued related to Hunter Biden during prior investigations.
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