Trump Jr subpoena sought over oligarch wedding funding

Republican Senator John Curtis called Tuesday for Donald Trump Jr. to be subpoenaed over reports that Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev helped bankroll celebrations for the president's son's wedding.

Curtis, a Utah Republican, asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate whether members of presidential families have used political connections for private financial gain. The request is a rare challenge from within President Donald Trump's party.

ProPublica reported that Kremlev, described as close to Vladimir Putin, paid hundreds of thousands of dollars toward Trump Jr.'s three-day wedding celebrations in the Bahamas in May, including the rental of a private island and a fireworks display.

Trump Jr. and his wife Bettina later confirmed Kremlev's involvement, describing him as a friend who had "very generously hosted" two nights of celebrations.

Curtis also called for former president Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden to be subpoenaed, saying Congress should apply the same standards to presidential families regardless of party.

In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley and the committee's top Democrat, Dick Durbin, Curtis cited Trump Jr.'s cryptocurrency ventures, international real estate dealings, defense investments and ties to prediction markets.

Curtis said the reports raised questions about whether foreign interests could gain access or expect favorable treatment through relationships with a president's family. He asked the committee to examine whether existing ethics and anti-corruption laws are adequate to prevent the presidency from becoming "a vehicle for private enrichment by those closest to it."

Durbin called Curtis's letter a "good faith request" and said he would support it. He said Hunter Biden had given a sworn deposition to Congress on accusations of corruption, while Donald Trump Jr. had not.