Report: Trump Jr. told in email Russian government wanted to help his father's candidacy


In June 2016, Donald Trump Jr. received an email saying a Russian lawyer who wanted to meet with him had damaging information about Hillary Clinton, and the source of her material was the Russian government, which wanted to aid his father's candidacy, The New York Times reported Monday.
The email, described to the Times by three people with knowledge of it, was sent by Rob Goldstone, a publicist who represents Russian pop star Emin Agalarov, whose father, Aras Agalarov, was Donald Trump's business partner in bringing the 2013 Miss Universe pageant to Moscow. Aras Agalarov is a real estate tycoon and close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Trump appeared in one of Emin Agalarov's music videos.
It was reported on Saturday that the meeting between Trump Jr. and Kremlin-connected lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya took place June 9 at Trump Tower. Trump Jr. told the Times they merely discussed adoption of Russian children by Americans, but after new reporting came out Sunday, he told the Times he met with Veselnitskaya after learning she had information on Clinton, but what she told him was "ambiguous" and "made no sense." The meeting was also attended by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, and his then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
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.
Goldstone told the Times Monday he was asked to broker the meeting by Emin Agalarov, who said Veselnitskaya had "information about illegal campaign contributions" to the Democratic National Committee. He also said it was his understanding she was a "private citizen" and Emin Agalarov just wanted to set the meeting up as a favor. Trump Jr.'s recently retained attorney, Alan Futerfas, told the Times that in his view, "this is much ado about nothing." There are several investigations going on now, looking into whether there was any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials before the election. Read the entire report, including Futerfas' full response, at The New York Times.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
October 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday's political cartoons include Donald Trump's consolation prize, government workers during shutdown, and more
-
Can Gaza momentum help end the war in Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles hints at ‘warming relations’ between Ukraine and US
-
The Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners being released
The Explainer Triumphant Donald Trump addresses the Israeli parliament as families on both sides of the Gaza war reunite with their loved ones
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats