Curtis Seeks Senate Probe of Trump Jr. Over Oligarch-Funded Wedding Party

Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah has asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate whether Donald Trump Jr. leveraged his closeness to the presidency for financial gain, following disclosures that a Russian oligarch helped pay for his wedding festivities.

In a letter sent Tuesday to committee chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and ranking Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois, Curtis urged the panel to subpoena the president's son over his business dealings, his relationships with foreign individuals and entities, gifts and other benefits he has received, and any occasion on which his ties to President Donald Trump were invoked or understood to carry value.

Curtis asked that Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden, face the same level of scrutiny. He argued that the country should not apply one standard to the family of a Republican president and another to the family of a Democratic one.

The request follows reporting that Umar Kremlev, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, helped cover the cost of renting a private island and a fireworks display when Trump Jr. married Bettina Anderson in the Bahamas in May. In an Instagram post signed by the couple, Bettina Trump described Kremlev, who heads the International Boxing Association, as a dear friend who hosted two nights of celebrations after the wedding. The president, who did not attend the ceremony, defended Kremlev's role but said the money would be repaid.

Curtis last week described the arrangement as corruption, saying in a social media video that a Russian oligarch paying for a lavish wedding after-party "just stinks." He noted that Republicans had "nearly wore out the subpoena machine" examining Hunter Biden's foreign relationships and said they should not unplug it now, adding that "'Trust us' was not enough then, and it is not enough now."

The move comes as a handful of Republicans have shown more willingness to criticize the president after largely avoiding open breaks during much of his second term. The unpopular war in Iran, high gas prices and worries about the party's prospects in November's midterm elections have drawn increased scrutiny from within GOP ranks.

House Republicans spent much of 2023 and 2024 investigating whether Hunter Biden traded on his father's name and political position to benefit his foreign business dealings. The Biden family dismissed the inquiries as politically motivated and denied wrongdoing. The effort produced a report accusing Joe Biden of taking part in a conspiracy to use his office to enrich his family, but the House never voted on articles of impeachment against him.

Curtis, first elected to the Senate in 2024, pledged on taking office not to shy away from disagreeing with Trump. While he has been critical before, calling for a committee investigation of the president's son marks a notable step.