Don Trump Jr. reportedly called family friends, not his father, before and after meeting Russians in Trump Tower
Three mysterious phone conversations between Donald Trump Jr. and blocked phone numbers before and right after his infamous June 9, 2016, Trump Tower meeting with Russians were not to his father, then-candidate Donald Trump, CNN and ABC News report, each citing three sources familiar with information obtained by the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Democrats had wondered aloud if the phone calls were to or from candidate Trump's blocked phone number, which would suggest he knew about the meeting at the time. Instead, ABC News reports, the calls were with the phones of two family friends: NASCAR chief executive Brian France and real estate developer Howard Lorber. President Trump says he did not know about the meeting beforehand, and Trump Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee he did not remember who he called but it wasn't his father.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
France endorsed Trump during the primary and Trump said he has known him for more than 20 years. Lorber, ABC News notes, took a tour of Moscow with Trump in then 1990s, when Trump first started exploring real estate deals in Russia. A spokesman told ABC News that Lorber "does not recall having conversations with Donald Jr. in the summer of 2016, but in any event he has absolutely not had conversations with Donald Jr. about any Russian matters." Both Trumps touted the CNN and ABC News reports on Twitter.
-
Why it’s important to shop around for a mortgage and what to look forThe Explainer You can save big by comparing different mortgage offers
-
4 ways to save on rising health care costsThe Explainer Health care expenses are part of an overall increase in the cost of living for Americans
-
How to financially prepare for divorceThe Explainer Facing ‘irreconcilable differences’ does not have to be financially devastating
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
