A Republican senator has broken with his party's leadership to demand a congressional investigation into Donald Trump Jr's business dealings, after a Russian oligarch with close ties to President Vladimir Putin helped pay for the younger Trump's wedding celebrations in the Bahamas. The move marks one of the most direct challenges yet from within the president's own party.
Senator John Curtis of Utah sent a letter Tuesday to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee calling for subpoenas to compel Trump Jr to answer questions about his foreign business relationships, gifts or benefits he has received, and any instances in which his connection to President Donald Trump was used to generate financial value. The letter references a ProPublica investigation revealing that Umar Kremlev — head of the International Boxing Association and a figure with documented ties to the Kremlin — helped fund a private island rental and fireworks display when Trump Jr and socialite Bettina Anderson married in May. Trump Jr and his wife have acknowledged Kremlev's involvement, describing him as a "dear friend" who "very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations" after their wedding. President Trump, who did not attend the event, said his son had reimbursed Kremlev, calling the arrangement "totally allowed."
Curtis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2024 and has previously broken with Trump over issues including the Senate filibuster, called the oligarch's funding "corruption" in a social media video last Friday before formalising his concerns in Tuesday's letter. Crucially, he also called for equivalent scrutiny of Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden, arguing that "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." Hunter Biden responded publicly, saying he would testify "any time, any place" alongside Trump Jr and calling on Eric Trump and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law who serves as a US envoy, to appear as well.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, currently under Republican control and chaired by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, confirmed it had received Curtis's letter but gave no commitment to launch an investigation. A committee spokesperson indicated that a hearing before year's end would be logistically difficult. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the committee's top Democrat, expressed support for Curtis's request, noting that while Hunter Biden has previously given a sworn deposition to Congress, Trump Jr has not, and warning the committee risked being "complicit in a coverup" if it chose to ignore the matter.
The episode reflects deepening tensions within the Republican Party as Trump faces record-low approval ratings linked to an unpopular war in Iran and anxiety over the cost of living, with midterm elections approaching in November. A handful of Republicans have begun voicing public criticism of the president, calculating that the political risks of silence may now outweigh the risks of dissent. If Democrats regain control of one or both chambers of Congress in November, broader investigations into the Trump family's financial dealings are widely expected to follow.