Trump Jr. Hunted with Sanctioned Russian Oligarch in Mongolia

Donald Trump Jr. shared a private hunting camp in western Mongolia with Umar Kremlev, a Russian billionaire linked to the Kremlin, during the final days of August. The trip involved a two-day stay where the two men reportedly took measures to avoid being photographed together, according to local guides and flight data reviewed by The Financial Times.

Kremlev arrived in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar via a charter flight from Kazakhstan. He then traveled to the hunting grounds in the west to join the president's eldest son. Arthur Martirosov, a partner in the US-sanctioned venture fund Voskhod, accompanied Kremlev on the journey. The Russian delegation returned to Ulaanbaatar after the two-day period at the camp.

A spokesperson for Trump Jr. described the arrangement as a personal connection rather than a commercial one. The men were introduced by a mutual friend in the hunting community. The spokesperson stated that the friendship is based on a shared love for outdoor recreation and that Trump Jr. had no business dealings with Kremlev. "Don has made clear that he has a personal friendship, not a business relationship, with Umar," the spokesperson said. "Their friendship is largely based on their shared love for hunting, fishing and the outdoors."

The timing of the trip follows a period of scrutiny over Kremlev's financial support for Trump Jr.'s wedding. In early October, Kremlev claimed that the money he spent on post-wedding celebrations was returned to him. US Attorney General Todd Blanche previously indicated that his office would not investigate the funding of the event. Meanwhile, Democratic members of Congress have pledged to launch their own inquiry into the relationship.

Holden Triplette, who served as director of counterintelligence on the National Security Council during Trump's first term, warned that such contacts carry inherent risks. "It really doesn't matter if people have the most above board intentions," Triplette said. "The moment the Russian security and intelligence services figure out someone has a relationship with anyone of high value, they will try to weaponise that."

During the Mongolian trip, Trump Jr. also met with President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh. He hunted a rare Altai argali, an endangered species of wild sheep. Kremlev, 43, currently serves as the president of the International Boxing Association. He headed the Russian Boxing Federation starting in 2017 before taking the global role.