Trump Jr. Hunts in Mongolia With Kremlin-Linked Oligarch

Donald Trump Jr. and Kremlin-linked oligarch Umar Kremlev shared a hunting trip in western Mongolia at the end of August. The Financial Times confirmed the encounter using flight records, social media posts, and testimony from local guides. The two men spent two days together at the president's son's camp before Kremlev returned to the capital, Ulaanbaatar.

Kremlev arrived in Ulaanbaatar on a charter plane from Kazakhstan. He was accompanied by Arthur Martirosov, a Russian businessman and partner in the US-sanctioned venture fund Voskhod. The FT reported that the group traveled to the hunting camp in the country's west. Local participants said the two men took care to avoid being photographed together during the stay.

The relationship between the two men has drawn scrutiny in Washington. A spokesperson for Trump Jr. described the bond as a personal friendship formed through a shared love of hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. The spokesperson said a mutual acquaintance in the hunting community introduced them. "Don has made clear that he has a personal friendship, not a business relationship, with Umar," the spokesperson stated. "Their friendship is largely based on their shared love for hunting, fishing and the outdoors. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that they went hunting together earlier this year."

The trip coincides with ongoing debates about the influence of Russian figures in US politics. Kremlev, 43, serves as the president of the International Boxing Association. He previously headed the Russian Boxing Federation starting in 2017. In early October, Kremlev claimed that Trump Jr. repaid the money spent on post-wedding celebrations he organized as a gift. US Attorney General Todd Blanche has stated he will not investigate the wedding, which was partially funded by Kremlev.

Counterintelligence experts view the contact with caution. Holden Triplette, who served as director of counterintelligence on the US National Security Council during Trump's first term, warned that Russian services often seek to weaponize relationships with high-value targets. "It really doesn't matter if people have the most above board intentions. 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," Triplette said.

During the Mongolian trip, Trump Jr. also met with President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh. He hunted an Altai argali, an endangered species of wild sheep. Members of the Trump family have denied knowing Kremlev, a claim that Democrats on Capitol Hill have questioned. Lawmakers from the minority party have promised to launch an investigation into the matter.