Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Donald Trump Jr.

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Donald Trump Jr..

Donald John Trump Jr., or Don Jr., is an American businessman and the eldest child of former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ivana Trump. He has been deeply involved in the Trump Organization, working alongside his siblings. He is known for his active role in Republican politics and has been a vocal supporter of his father's political career. Don Jr. has also authored books and remains a prominent figure in conservative media. He often appears at political rallies and events, maintaining a public profile.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2011: Comments on Frederica Wilson

In 2011, Donald Trump Jr. responded to criticism of the Tea Party movement by Frederica Wilson, confusing her with Maxine Waters and making comments about her hats.

2012: Hunting Trophy Pictures Published

In 2012, controversy arose when photos of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting trophies from 2010 were published, including by Mia Farrow, leading to criticism from anti-hunting activists. At least one sponsor dropped his father's TV show "The Celebrity Apprentice".

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2015: Hunting Trophies Reposted

In 2015, Mia Farrow reposted photos of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting trophies, which led to criticism from anti-hunting activists.

March 1, 2016: Interview with James Edwards Aired

On March 1, 2016, an interview with white supremacist James Edwards and Donald Trump Jr. was aired, leading to accusations of him being a believer in the white genocide conspiracy theory.

June 9, 2016: Meeting at Trump Tower

On June 9, 2016, Donald Trump Jr., along with Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, met with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower in Manhattan to receive damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

August 2016: Meeting with UAE and Saudi Arabia Emissary

In August 2016, Donald Trump Jr. had a meeting with an emissary for the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia who offered help to the Trump presidential campaign.

September 2016: Holocaust Imagery Criticism and Pepe the Frog Image

In September 2016, Donald Trump Jr. used Holocaust imagery to criticize the media's coverage of Hillary Clinton. He also shared an image on Instagram depicting a cross between his father and Pepe the Frog, later claiming he was unfamiliar with Pepe's association with white supremacy.

2016: Skittles Refugee Analogy Controversy

During his father's presidential campaign in 2016, Donald Trump Jr. caused controversy when he posted an image comparing Syrian refugees to Skittles, leading to condemnation.

2016: WikiLeaks Actively Solicited Cooperation

During the 2016 campaign, WikiLeaks actively solicited the cooperation of Donald Trump Jr., urging the Trump campaign to reject the results and shared a made-up claim by True Pundit that Hillary Clinton had wanted to attack Assange with drones.

2016: Posting Pepe the Frog Meme

In 2016, Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo on Instagram featuring a Trump version of Pepe the Frog, an internet meme associated with white nationalists. Trump Jr. defended the post.

2016: Correspondence with WikiLeaks

In 2016, during the presidential election, Donald Trump Jr. corresponded with WikiLeaks via Twitter, as revealed later.

March 2017: Criticism of London Mayor Sadiq Khan

In March 2017, Donald Trump Jr. criticized London Mayor Sadiq Khan following the 2017 Westminster attack, leading to criticism from British lawmakers who accused Trump Jr. of quoting Khan out of context.

April 2017: Praise for Conspiracy Theorist Mike Cernovich

In April 2017, Donald Trump Jr. praised conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich, known for promoting debunked theories such as white genocide and Pizzagate, suggesting he would have won a Pulitzer Prize in a time of unbiased journalism.

May 2017: Promotion of Conspiracy Theory Linking Bill Clinton to Vince Foster's Death

In May 2017, Donald Trump Jr. promoted a conspiracy theory that Bill Clinton was linked to the death of Vince Foster. CNN called it the "long-debunked, far-right conspiracy theory".

July 8, 2017: Release of Email Exchange

On July 8, 2017, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted his email exchange with Rob Goldstone, revealing that he agreed to attend the Trump Tower meeting with the understanding he would receive information damaging to Hillary Clinton.

November 7, 2017: Tweets Urging Voters to Vote on the Wrong Day

On November 7, 2017, Donald Trump Jr. posted tweets urging voters in Virginia's gubernatorial election to vote "tomorrow", which was the day after the election.

November 2017: Correspondence with WikiLeaks Revealed

In November 2017, news broke that Julian Assange had used the WikiLeaks Twitter account to correspond with Donald Trump Jr. during the 2016 presidential election.

2017: Alleged Misuse of Inaugural Funds

Donald Trump Jr. was accused of misuse of his father's inaugural funds in Washington D.C. in 2017, for "grossly overpaying" for use of event space at the Trump Hotel. This led to a criminal investigation in January 2021.

2017: Prairie Dog Hunt on Earth Day

On Earth Day in 2017, Donald Trump Jr. legally hunted prairie dogs in Montana with GOP Congressional candidate Greg Gianforte.

February 2018: Liking Tweets Promoting Conspiracy Theory About Stoneman Douglas Survivors

In February 2018, Donald Trump Jr. liked two tweets promoting a conspiracy theory suggesting that survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting were being coached to spread anti-Trump rhetoric.

February 2018: Advertisements in Indian Newspapers

In February 2018, advertisements in Indian newspapers promoted a deal to have a "conversation and dinner" with Donald Trump Jr. for those who purchased Trump Organization apartments in Gurgaon.

May 2018: Retweet of Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory About George Soros

In May 2018, Donald Trump Jr. retweeted a false and antisemitic conspiracy theory from Roseanne Barr alleging that George Soros was a Nazi who turned in fellow Jews. This occurred on the same day Roseanne's TV show, Roseanne, was cancelled due to her racist tweets.

June 2018: Liking Tweet Suggesting Migrant Children Were Actors

In June 2018, Donald Trump Jr. liked a tweet suggesting that migrant children separated from their parents due to the Trump administration's family separation policy were actually actors.

August 2018: Sharing Doctored Image Regarding Trump's Approval Rating

In August 2018, Donald Trump Jr. shared a doctored image on Instagram falsely stating that CNN reported President Trump's approval rating as 50%. The actual report had Trump at 40%. He deleted the image two days later.

September 2018: Tweet Regarding Hurricane Florence and CNN Journalist Anderson Cooper

In September 2018, during Hurricane Florence, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a picture of CNN journalist Anderson Cooper in floodwaters, along with a Breitbart News article claiming CNN's ratings had dropped. He suggested a conspiracy that CNN was trying to make his father look bad.

June 2019: Criminal Referral to Federal Prosecutors

In June 2019, Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee made a criminal referral of Donald Trump Jr. to federal prosecutors on suspicions that he misled the committee with his testimony.

July 2019: Appearance at Far-Right Event

In July 2019, Donald Trump Jr. appeared at a far-right "We Build the Wall" event with Jack Posobiec. This was reported by the Southern Poverty Law Center in August 2020.

November 2019: Tweeting Alleged Whistleblower Name

In November 2019, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted the name of the alleged whistleblower in the Trump-Ukraine scandal, potentially violating whistleblower protection conventions.

December 11, 2019: Hunting Permit Controversy Revealed

On December 11, 2019, ProPublica revealed that the government of Mongolia retroactively granted Donald Trump Jr. a hunting permit for the endangered Argali mountain sheep. The sheep hunt and travel to Ulaanbaatar for a private meeting with Mongolian president Khaltmaagiin Battulga cost U.S. taxpayers $76,859.36 for United States Secret Service protection.

2019: Hunting Trophies Reposted Again

In 2019, Mia Farrow again reposted photos of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting trophies, continuing the controversy.

May 2020: False Accusation Against Joe Biden

In May 2020, Donald Trump Jr. falsely accused Joe Biden of being a pedophile.

June 2020: Accusation of Liberal Hypocrisy During COVID-19 Pandemic

In June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Donald Trump Jr. accused liberals of hypocrisy for imposing restrictive measures on businesses while supporting the "Action for Black Trans Lives" protest.

July 2020: Twitter Restriction for COVID-19 Misinformation

In July 2020, Donald Trump Jr. received a 12-hour restriction from Twitter for promoting COVID-19 misinformation, specifically retweeting a video promoting hydroxychloroquine as a cure.

August 2020: Sharing Article About Dead People Voting in Michigan

In August 2020, Donald Trump Jr. shared a Breitbart News article about dead people voting in Michigan, suggesting voter fraud. The voters had died after submitting ballots, which were rejected by authorities.

August 2020: Reported Appearance at Far-Right Event

In August 2020, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that Donald Trump Jr. had appeared at a far-right "We Build the Wall" event with Jack Posobiec in July 2019.

September 2020: Pushing False Claims About Voter Fraud

In September 2020, Donald Trump Jr. pushed false claims about voter fraud, asserting the left was planning to steal the election and calling for an election security "army".

October 2020: Pennsylvania Senate Seat Speculation and Rally

In October 2020, there was speculation about Donald Trump Jr. running for a vacant Senate seat in Pennsylvania. He also held a crowded indoor rally where attendees did not wear masks.

October 28, 2020: RNC Purchased Book in Bulk

On October 28, 2020, the Republican National Committee (RNC) spent over $300,000 of donor money to purchase Donald Trump Jr.'s book, "Liberal Privilege", from Pursuit Venture LLC, a company owned by Trump Jr., for "donor mementos". The intent was to give a copy to people who donated $50–$100.

Liberal Privilege : Joe Biden And The Democrats' Defense Of The Indefensible

Check it on Amazon

October 29, 2020: Comments on COVID-19 Deaths on Fox News

On October 29, 2020, Donald Trump Jr. minimized COVID-19 deaths on Fox News, stating the number was "almost nothing" despite the U.S. registering roughly 1,000 deaths that day.

November 2020: Suggestion of Vaccine Delay to Hurt Father's Election Chances

In November 2020, after Pfizer announced a COVID-19 vaccine, Donald Trump Jr. suggested it had been held back to hurt his father's election chances. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla denied the claim.

November 2020: Advocating 'Total War' Instead of Vote Counting

Since November 2020, Donald Trump Jr. played a prominent role in his father's attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election. In November 2020, he advocated "total war" instead of completing the vote count.

2020: Active in 2020 Presidential Campaign

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Donald Trump Jr. was very active, making unfounded claims. He called for "total war" as results were counted and promoted stolen election conspiracy theories.

2020: Self-Published 'Liberal Privilege'

In 2020, Donald Trump Jr. self-published the book "Liberal Privilege: Joe Biden and the Democrats' Defense of the Indefensible". He hired researchers to gather information about Joe Biden and spent three months writing the book. He stated he was motivated by being "stuck indoors" during the pandemic and wanting to highlight Biden's record, since he felt the media would not.

Liberal Privilege : Joe Biden And The Democrats' Defense Of The Indefensible

Check it on Amazon

January 6, 2021: Speech at Rally Before Capitol Attack

On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump Jr. spoke at a rally before the US Capitol attack, saying to GOP lawmakers, "If you're gonna be the zero and not the hero, we're coming for you".

January 8, 2021: Claim About Free Speech After Father's Twitter Ban

Following his father's permanent ban from Twitter on January 8, 2021, Donald Trump Jr. claimed that free speech "no longer exists in America".

January 11, 2021: Considered Person of Interest in Capitol Attack Investigation

On January 11, 2021, D.C. attorney general Karl Racine said that Donald Trump Jr. is a person of interest in the criminal investigation of the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

January 14, 2021: Person of Interest in Inaugural Funds Misuse Investigation

On January 14, 2021, Donald Trump Jr. became a person of interest in the criminal investigation into misuse of his father's inaugural funds in Washington D.C.

January 2021: Plans to Subvert the Electoral College

In April 2022 it was reported that in January 2021, Donald Trump Jr. sent Mark Meadows a text laying out plans to subvert the electoral college.

January 2021: Potential Incitement Investigation

In January 2021, the Attorney General for the District of Columbia considered charging Donald Trump Jr. with inciting the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol.

March 5, 2021: Civil Lawsuit Filed by Eric Swalwell

On March 5, 2021, Representative Eric Swalwell filed a civil lawsuit against Donald Trump Jr., his father, Representative Mo Brooks, and Rudy Giuliani, seeking damages for their alleged role in inciting the January 6 riot.

December 2021: Text Messages Begging to Stop the Attack

In December 2021, text messages released by Meadows revealed that Donald Trump Jr. begged Meadows to persuade his father to stop the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

February 2022: Amplifying Russian Propaganda About Biological Weapons in Ukraine

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Donald Trump Jr. amplified baseless Russian state propaganda claiming the US and Ukraine were developing biological weapons.

April 2022: Text Message Outlining Paths to Subvert Electoral College

CNN reported in April 2022 that, two days after the election, Donald Trump Jr. sent a text message to Mark Meadows outlining paths to subvert the Electoral College process and ensure his father a second term.

April 2022: Text Message Subverting Electoral College

In April 2022, it was reported that two days after the 2020 election, Donald Trump Jr. sent a text message to Mark Meadows outlining paths to subvert the Electoral College process.

2022: $750,000 Settlement Reached

In May of 2022, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine reached a $750,000 settlement with the inaugural committee without requiring an admission of wrongdoing.

February 16, 2024: Barred from Serving as Officer or Director

On February 16, 2024, a ruling barred Donald Trump Jr. from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in New York, including the Trump Organization, for two years.

May 28, 2024: Email Shown in Trump Sr.'s Trial

On May 28, 2024, an email was shown during defense closing arguments in Trump Sr.'s New York criminal trial revealing that Jeffrey McConnery sought approval from Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump for reimbursement payments to Michael Cohen. Donald Trump Jr. signed some of the reimbursement checks to Cohen.