Dagens Nyheter1 hour agoPolitics2 min read

Senator John Curtis calls for investigation into Donald Trump Jr.'s Bahamas party

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Senator John Curtis of Utah is calling for a Senate investigation into Donald Trump Jr.'s lavish Bahamian party paid for by a Russian-linked oligarch, which he calls corruption and a threat to public trust in government.

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Why It Matters

John Curtis has criticized Donald Trump in the past, including when the president launched a plan to import more meat from abroad, which the senator objected to because of his agricultural constituents.

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"A toaster is a wedding present. A party on a private island paid for by a Putin-connected oligarch is something else," writes John Curtis at X.

The senator from Utah criticized the party gift already on Friday, calling it corruption. Now he has gone a step further and is calling on his colleagues in the Senate to start an investigation.

Donald Trump Jr. married Bettina Trump in May 2026 and celebrated afterwards with a three-day party on two islands in the Bahamas.

The rent for one island was paid for by oligarch Umar Kremlev, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In total, he is said to have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This was revealed on September 14 by the investigative news organization ProPublica.

According to the president, Donald Trump Jr. has decided to repay the gift, but it is not enough for John Curtis. In his letter, he writes that 72 percent of all Americans consider the government to be corrupt.

"There are many reasons for that, one is the perception that those who are close to political power get opportunities that ordinary Americans don't have."

The senator mentions Hunter Biden, who did business overseas while his father Joe Biden was president. Then he devotes himself to the Trump family.

In addition to the party in the Bahamas, John Curtis writes that he is concerned about Donald Trump Jr.'s crypto deals, his real estate deals abroad, investments in the defense industry and connections to prediction markets, a type of betting site.

As part of the investigation, John Curtis wants Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden to be called to testify.

"The purpose of such an investigation is to establish the facts, to see if laws and ethical rules apply, and to propose reforms that prevent the presidency from becoming a means of enriching relatives."

John Curtis has gone against the president before. When Donald Trump in August launched a plan to import more meat from abroad, the senator, who has many voters in the agricultural sector, protested.

Unexpected Trump criticism from Republican congressman

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

The Senate will open an inquiry or investigation into Donald Trump Jr.'s gift and dealings
Likely · Within weeks
Donald Trump Jr. will be called to testify before the Senate if the investigation starts
Possible · Within months

Open Questions

Will the Senate launch an investigation?
What specific laws or ethical rules may have been violated?
Will Donald Trump Jr. pay back the entire gift?
What other connections are there between the Trump family and foreign interests?