Sen. John Curtis Calls for Trump Jr. Testimony Over Russian-Funded Wedding Events/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Republican Sen. John Curtis asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. following reports about wedding events funded by a Russian oligarch. Curtis also requested testimony from Hunter Biden as part of a broader examination of presidential relatives’ foreign business relationships and gifts. The Judiciary Committee acknowledged receiving the request but did not commit to opening an investigation.
Quick Look
- Curtis asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr.
- The request followed reporting about wedding celebrations funded by Umar Kremlev.
- Kremlev is a Russian businessman with ties to President Vladimir Putin.
- Curtis cited Trump Jr.’s cryptocurrency, real-estate and defense investments.
- The Utah senator also requested a subpoena for Hunter Biden.
- Curtis said oversight standards should apply equally to Republican and Democratic presidents’ families.
- President Trump denied knowing Kremlev or that he funded the wedding ceremony.
- Trump Jr. and his wife previously acknowledged that Kremlev hosted two nights of wedding celebrations.
- Judiciary Committee Republicans have not committed to an investigation.
Deep Look
Republican senator requests Trump Jr. subpoena
Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to compel Donald Trump Jr. to testify about his relationships with foreign business figures and the gifts or benefits he has received.
The request followed a ProPublica investigation reporting that Russian businessman Umar Kremlev paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses connected with Trump Jr.’s three-day wedding celebration in the Bahamas.
According to records and interviews cited by ProPublica, the expenses included renting a private island, accommodations, a reception and a fireworks display. Trump Jr. and his wife, Bettina Trump, later confirmed that Kremlev hosted two nights of celebrations, describing them as a wedding gift from a friend.
Curtis raises concerns about foreign relationships
Curtis addressed his request to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley of Iowa and the committee’s ranking Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois.
“Questions have arisen about the relationships of President Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., with foreign business figures and the acceptance of significant gifts. These include a lavish wedding afterparty, on a private island, provided by Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev, who reportedly traveled to China as part of a delegation accompanying Vladimir Putin shortly before giving the gift,” Curtis wrote.
Kremlev attended events surrounding Trump Jr.’s wedding and had traveled to China shortly before the celebration. Chinese state media identified him as part of a delegation accompanying Putin, while Kremlev’s representatives said he was not a member of Putin’s “official delegation.”
Business ventures add to senator’s concerns
Curtis said his concerns extended beyond the wedding celebrations.
“These concerns are compounded by Donald Trump Jr.’s active promotion of family-backed cryptocurrency ventures, his continued pursuit of international real estate deals involving direct meetings with foreign heads of state, and his reported investments in defense contracting,” Curtis wrote.
The senator argued that relatives of presidents can potentially benefit financially from their proximity to political power.
Trump Jr. has become an influential figure in Republican politics and has participated in several domestic and international business ventures.
Curtis also seeks Hunter Biden’s testimony
Curtis asked the committee to subpoena Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, as well.
He said both men should testify “regarding 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.”
Hunter Biden has faced years of congressional scrutiny involving his overseas business dealings.
By requesting testimony from both presidents’ sons, Curtis presented the proposed investigation as an effort to apply consistent congressional oversight across party lines.
“The country should not have to accept one standard for the family of a Republican president and another for the family of a Democratic president. Nor should congressional oversight begin and end when control of the White House changes hands,” Curtis said.
Trump denies knowing Kremlev
President Trump said he did not know Kremlev and disputed the characterization that the Russian businessman paid for his son’s wedding.
Trump said he has “no idea who Umar is” and has “never heard of him, and he didn’t pay for Don and Bettina’s wedding, which took place at a totally different location, and on a different day from the wedding.”
The president’s statement distinguished the marriage ceremony from the later celebrations.
Trump Jr. and his wife previously confirmed Kremlev’s involvement in two nights of festivities.
“Our dear friend Umar very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us,” they said in a statement reported by ProPublica.
“It was an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend, and something for which we were and remain incredibly grateful,” they added.
They rejected suggestions that the gift was politically motivated.
“It’s unfortunate that something so personal and happy can be recast as something political or sinister simply because of who someone is or where they come from,” the couple said. “Friendship doesn’t require a political motive.”
Kremlev’s connections draw scrutiny
Kremlev is president of the International Boxing Association, an organization previously financed by Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company.
Putin awarded Kremlev Russia’s Order of Friendship for his “contribution to international sport and his commitment to the global boxing family.”
The Ukrainian government has sanctioned Kremlevciting his relationship with Putin and Russian security agencies. He does not appear on publicly available U.S. sanctions lists, according to ProPublica.
Representatives for Kremlev have described his relationship with Trump Jr. as a personal friendship and said the two men have not discussed politics.
Judiciary Committee has not promised action
A spokesperson for Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans confirmed that Grassley had received Curtis’ letter but did not commit to investigating or scheduling testimony.
The spokesperson said few hearing dates remained available through the end of 2026 and that investigative hearings typically require months of preparation.
The request therefore does not guarantee that either Trump Jr. or Hunter Biden will be subpoenaed.
House Democrats pursue separate inquiry
House Democrats are conducting their own examination of Trump Jr.’s relationship with Kremlev.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, requested information from the White House and Trump Jr. about the relationship.
The matter could receive additional congressional attention if Democrats gain control of either chamber in the next Congress.
More on US News