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., is an American businessman and activist, known as Don Jr. He is the eldest son of Donald Trump. He is also politically active, frequently appearing at rallies and conferences, and he's a prominent figure in conservative media. Trump Jr. has been involved in various business ventures, often working within the Trump Organization.

Sections (4)

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

2011: Criticized Frederica Wilson

In 2011, Donald Trump Jr. responded to criticism of the Tea Party movement by Florida representative Frederica Wilson by confusing Wilson with California representative Maxine Waters and saying her colorful hats made her look like a stripper.

2012: Controversy over hunting trophy photos

In 2012, controversy erupted when photos Donald Trump Jr. had taken of his hunting trophies in 2010 were published, including one where he is holding a knife in one hand and a bloody elephant tail in the other. Anti-hunting activists criticized him, although the hunt was legal.

2015: Mia Farrow reposts hunting photos

In 2015, Mia Farrow reposted the pictures Donald Trump Jr. had taken of his hunting trophies, further fueling the controversy that erupted in 2012.

March 1, 2016: Interview with White Supremacist Airs

On March 1, 2016, an interview featuring Donald Trump Jr. and white supremacist James Edwards was broadcast. Initially, the Trump campaign denied that the interview had occurred. Later, Trump Jr. stated the interview was unintentional, leading mainstream media to accuse him of either believing in the white genocide conspiracy theory or feigning advocacy for political advantage.

June 9, 2016: Attended Meeting at Trump Tower

On June 9, 2016, Donald Trump Jr. attended a meeting at Trump Tower with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya and others, arranged to provide damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

September 2016: Holocaust Imagery and Pepe the Frog Controversy

In September 2016, Donald Trump Jr. used Holocaust imagery to criticize the media's coverage of Hillary Clinton and accused Democrats of lying. He also shared an image depicting a cross between his father and Pepe the Frog on Instagram. When asked about Pepe the Frog's association with white supremacy, Trump Jr. claimed he was unaware of it and thought it was just a "frog with a wig."

2016: WikiLeaks Solicited Cooperation

During the 2016 presidential election, WikiLeaks actively solicited the cooperation of Donald Trump Jr., who was a campaign surrogate and advisor in the campaign of his father, urging the Trump campaign to reject the election results and asking him to share a made-up claim by True Pundit.

2016: Active in Father's 2016 Presidential Campaign

In 2016, Donald Trump Jr. was active in his father's presidential campaign and cooperated with Russia in their interference in the United States elections. He also had a meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton's campaign.

2016: Wikileaks Correspondence

In 2016, Julian Assange used the WikiLeaks Twitter account to correspond with Donald Trump Jr. during the presidential election. Trump Jr. had already provided this correspondence to congressional investigators who were looking into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

2016: Skittles Syrian Refugee Analogy

In 2016, during his father's presidential campaign, Donald Trump Jr. sparked controversy by posting an image comparing Syrian refugees to Skittles, stating that accepting refugees was like risking death from a few poisoned candies. The makers of Skittles condemned the analogy, emphasizing the difference between candy and human lives. The Cato Institute highlighted the extremely low statistical probability of an American being killed in a terrorist attack by a refugee.

April 2017: Praised Conspiracy Theorist Mike Cernovich

In April 2017, Donald Trump Jr. praised conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich, who has promoted the debunked white genocide and Pizzagate conspiracy theories. Trump Jr. said, "In a long gone time of unbiased journalism he'd win the Pulitzer".

May 2017: Promoted Conspiracy Theories About Bill Clinton

In May 2017, Donald Trump Jr. promoted the "long-debunked, far-right conspiracy theory" that Bill Clinton was linked to Vince Foster's death.

July 8, 2017: Tweeted Email Exchange with Goldstone

On July 8, 2017, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted his email exchange with Rob Goldstone, revealing that he had agreed to attend the June 2016 meeting with the understanding he would receive information damaging to Hillary Clinton, and that the Russian government was involved. This followed initial media statements about adoption of Russian children being the focus of the meeting.

November 2017: News Broke of Correspondence with Julian Assange

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: Event Space at the Trump Hotel in Washington for the 2017 Inauguration

In 2017 Donald Trump Jr. was investigated for his role in "grossly overpaying" for use of event space at the Trump Hotel in Washington for the 2017 inauguration.

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

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

February 2018: Advertisements in Indian Newspapers

In February 2018, advertisements in Indian newspapers promoted a deal where purchasing Trump Organization apartments in Gurgaon before February 20 would result in an invitation to have a "conversation and dinner" with Donald Trump Jr. The ads were criticized as unethical.

May 2018: Retweeted Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory About George Soros

In May 2018, Donald Trump Jr. retweeted a false and antisemitic conspiracy theory that George Soros was a "nazi [sic] who turned in his fellow Jews to be murdered in German concentration camps & stole their wealth." The tweets originated from Roseanne Barr.

Loading Video...

June 2018: Liked 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 family separation policy were actually actors.

September 2018: Tweeted Misleading Picture of Anderson Cooper During Hurricane Florence

In September 2018, as Hurricane Florence impacted the United States, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a misleading picture of CNN journalist Anderson Cooper to promote a conspiracy theory about CNN manipulating news to make his father look bad. The picture was actually from 2008 during Hurricane Ike.

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: Appeared at "We Build the Wall" Event

In July 2019, Donald Trump Jr. appeared at a far-right "We Build the Wall" event with Jack Posobiec.

November 2019: Tweeted Alleged Whistleblower's Name in Trump-Ukraine Scandal

In November 2019, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted the name of the alleged whistleblower who brought to light the Trump-Ukraine scandal, despite whistleblower conventions designed to protect their identities.

December 11, 2019: Mongolia 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: Release of "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us"

In 2019, Donald Trump Jr. released his book, "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us." The book criticizes political correctness and accuses the American left of having a victimhood complex. Trump Jr. also pushes conspiracy theories about the intelligence community's alleged attempts to harm President Trump. In the book, he recounts a visit to Arlington National Cemetery and reflects on the sacrifices made by the Trump family.

Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us

Check it on Amazon

2019: Mia Farrow reposts hunting photos again

In 2019, Mia Farrow reposted the pictures Donald Trump Jr. had taken of his hunting trophies, which previously caused controversy in 2012, again.

May 2020: Accused Joe Biden of Being a Pedophile

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

June 2020: Accused Liberals of 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 holding the "Action for Black Trans Lives" protest.

July 2020: Received Twitter Restriction for Promoting COVID-19 Misinformation

In July 2020, Donald Trump Jr. received a 12-hour restriction from Twitter for promoting COVID-19 misinformation, including retweeting a video promoting hydroxychloroquine as a cure and claiming masks were unnecessary.

August 2020: Shared Breitbart Article About Dead People Voting

In August 2020, Donald Trump Jr. shared a Breitbart News article about dead people voting in Michigan, suggesting voter fraud. However, the voters in question died after submitting their ballots, and the ballots were rejected by Michigan authorities.

August 2020: Southern Poverty Law Center reports Trump Jr.'s Appearance at "We Build the Wall" Event

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

September 2020: Pushed False Claims About Voter Fraud and Asked for Election Security "Army"

In September 2020, Donald Trump Jr. pushed false claims about voter fraud, asserting that the "radical left" was planning to "steal" the election from his father. He called for an election security "army" for his father, leading Facebook and Twitter to add labels pointing to accurate voting information.

October 2020: Suggested to Run for Senate and Held Maskless Rally

In October 2020, Pennsylvania Republicans suggested that Donald Trump Jr. run for the vacant Senate seat in Pennsylvania in 2022. In the same month, he held a crowded indoor rally where attendees did not wear masks.

October 28, 2020: RNC's Purchase of "Liberal Privilege" for Donor Mementos

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

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

Check it on Amazon

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

On October 29, 2020, Donald Trump Jr. criticized the media's focus on new COVID-19 infections rather than deaths, stating on Fox News that the number of deaths was "almost nothing" because the virus was under control. On that day, the United States registered roughly 1,000 COVID-19 deaths.

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

In November 2020, Donald Trump Jr. advocated "total war" instead of completing vote counting in the 2020 United States elections, having a prominent role in his father's attempts to overturn the election.

November 2020: Suggested COVID-19 Vaccine Was Held Back to Hurt His Father's Election Chances

In November 2020, after Pfizer announced its COVID-19 vaccine, Donald Trump Jr. suggested that the vaccine had been held back to hurt his father's chances of winning the election. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla refuted this claim.

2020: Active in Father's 2020 Presidential Campaign

In 2020, Donald Trump Jr. was active in his father's 2020 presidential campaign, often making unfounded claims. He called for "total war" as results were counted and promoted the stolen election conspiracy theory.

January 6, 2021: Spoke at Rally Before Capitol Attack

On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump Jr. spoke to an audience with his father before the US Capitol attack. Trump Jr. stated "If you're gonna be the zero and not the hero, we're coming for you".

January 8, 2021: Claimed Free Speech "No Longer Exists in America" After Father's Twitter Ban

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

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

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 January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and that he is looking at whether to charge him with inciting the violent attack.

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

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

January 2021: Donald Trump Jr. Suggested Kicking Election to Congress

In January 2021, in a text message Donald Trump Jr. sent two days after the election, to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows outlining paths to subvert the Electoral College process, he wrote, "We either have a vote WE control and WE win OR it gets kicked to Congress 6 January 2021."

January 2021: Possible 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: Sued by Eric Swalwell for Inciting Capitol Riot

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

December 2021: Text Messages Revealed Begging Meadows to Stop Capitol Attack

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

February 2022: Amplified Russian Propaganda About Biological Weapons in Ukraine

In February 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Donald Trump Jr. amplified baseless Russian state propaganda claiming that the U.S. and Ukraine were developing biological weapons.

April 2022: Text Message to Mark Meadows Outlining Ways to Subvert Electoral College

In April 2022, CNN reported that two days after the election, Donald Trump Jr. sent a text message to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows outlining paths to subvert the Electoral College process and ensure his father a second term. The text message was sent before Biden had been declared the winner.

April 2022: Sent Text Message Outlining Paths to Subvert Electoral College

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

May 2022: Settlement Reached in Inaugural Funds Misuse Case

In May 2022, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine reached a $750,000 settlement with the inaugural committee without requiring an admission of wrongdoing in the case of misuse of Donald Trump's inaugural funds.

May 28, 2024: Reimbursement Checks to Cohen Signed by Trump Jr.

On May 28, 2024, an email revealed that Jeffrey McConnery sought approval from Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump for reimbursement payments to Michael Cohen, and Donald Trump Jr. signed some of the reimbursement checks to Cohen.

May 2025: Launched Conspiracy Theory About Jill Biden and Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis

In May 2025, after Joe Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Donald Trump Jr. launched a conspiracy theory questioning how Jill Biden missed the signs and whether it was covered up.

2025: Announced Investment in Enhanced Games

In 2025, Donald Trump Jr. announced that 1789 Capital would invest in the Enhanced Games, a proposed sports event that will allow performance enhancing drugs.

2025: Accusation of killing protected duck in Venice lagoon

In February 2025, Donald Trump Jr. was accused of killing a protected duck while hunting in the Venice lagoon. A video showed Trump Jr with the body of a rare ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), a species protected throughout Europe and by Italian law.