GOP senator demands probe into Don Jr after Putin-linked oligarch bankrolled wedding party over 'national security' fears

GOP senator demands probe into Don Jr after Putin-linked oligarch bankrolled wedding party over 'national security' fears

A top Republican Senator is breaking ranks to demand an investigation into President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr.His unprecedented ask comes after the president's son faced 'corruption' claims after it was revealed Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev bankrolled his wedding party in the Bahamas in May with new wife Bettina Anderson, 39. That included hundreds of thousands of dollars toward renting a private island and a private fireworks display. Following backlash, Trump himself said that his son had paid back the oligarch linked to Vladimir Putin. ‘I hear he paid him back. I understand that Don paid him back,’ Trump said, even though he argued that it was ‘totally allowed’ and ‘very common’ for people to pay for parties.A source familiar with Donald Trump Jr’s response to the controversy confirmed to the Daily Mail last week that he paid Kremlev back for the party. Now, Utah Republican Senator John Curtis is demanding an investigation into both Don Jr, and former first son Hunter Biden, over their business dealings.He wants them to reveal their associations with foreign nationals in order to determine whether the office of the US president was used to enrich their family members. Senator John Curtis, a Utah Republican, is asking his colleagues to investigate Don Jr and Hunter Biden Don Trump Jr and his bride Bettina Anderson acknowledged the findings of the ProPublica investigation released this month, claiming Kremlin-linked businessman Umar Kremlev is simply a pal, who gave them a generous wedding gift following their luxe nuptials in the Bahamas. The first son has reportedly repaid the giftRepublicans on Capitol Hill have accused Hunter Biden of engaging in foreign influence peddling, corruption and making false statements to Congress, which he has denied.The Utah lawmaker noted in his letter that past reports about their business dealings 'raise legitimate questions about foreign access to members of a sitting president's family and whether such relationships can create actual or perceived expectations of favorable treatment.'Curtis also noted that 'expectations of a returned favor ... could even create national security vulnerabilities.'Top Democrat Robert Garcia, who sits on the powerful House Oversight Committee, has also questioned Kremlev's funding of the wedding extravaganza, which has since been repaid.'Why did a Russian oligarch close to Putin fund Trump Jr's wedding in the Bahamas? Umar Kremlev spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the president's son. What did he get in return? We need answers.' Kremlev is also a close associate of Vladimir PutinRepublicans have been, until Curtis' letter, more private in their outrage, with one source who has been a consistent Trump ally for over a decade telling the Daily Mail, 'F*ck them. F*ck this,' and another noting 'at this point, it's not surprising, which is partly why we are so incensed.'Bettina addressed the rumors surrounding Kremlev in an Instagram post after the report came to light, calling the Russian national 'our dear friend Umar.'She said at the time that he 'very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us' before making clear that the party he paid for was 'after our wedding.'She ended the post by telling her followers: 'Friendship doesn't require a political motive. Generosity doesn't automatically come with an agenda.' Don Jr's wedding to Bettina Anderson, which took place in May of this year, was a toned down affair. The Memorial Day weekend festivities included a private ceremony in West Palm Beach, Florida, which was then followed by an intimate celebration in the Bahamas.The president was not in attendance at the wedding, and neither was First Lady Melania Trump. The couple had 18 guests at the ceremony, which took place in Palm Beach in May, and 50 people at their Bahamas reception The new bride took to her Instagram Stories to share a look at their wedding bands along with a gushing message to Don Jr after their wedding Photos of Bettina's bridal shower posted by Ivanka show Bettina smiling alongside her new family, which included sisters-in-law Tiffany, Ivanka Trump and Lara Trump, as well as her new niece Ivanka and Jared Kushner's daughter, Arabella, 14A spokesperson for the First Lady told the Daily Mail earlier this month: 'Mrs. Trump does not, and has never had, a relationship with Mr. Kremlev,' and added that 'Mrs. Trump played no role whatsoever in organizing the wedding event and was not privy to any aspect of its financial planning.’ Don Jr and Bettina celebrated their wedding with his siblings, Eric, 42, and Ivanka, 44, who went with them to the Bahamas.A spokesperson for Eric said earlier this month in a statement he 'has absolutely no clue who this person is, nor has he ever heard his name.'The Daily Mail reached out to Don Jr for comment.

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