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, political activist, and the eldest child of former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ivana Trump. He has been actively involved in the Trump Organization and has played a prominent role in his father's political campaigns. He is often referred to as Don Jr. and has been a vocal supporter of his father's policies and political agenda. Beyond his business ventures, he has also become a notable figure in conservative media and political circles.

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

2010: Took Hunting Trophy Pictures

In 2010, Donald Trump Jr. took pictures of his hunting trophies, which were published in 2012, including photos with a dead leopard and an elephant tail, leading to controversy.

2011: Criticism of 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: Hunting Trophy Photos Published, Controversy Erupted

In 2012, controversy erupted after pictures of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting trophies from 2010 were published. This led to criticism from anti-hunting activists, and at least one sponsor dropped his father's television show, "The Celebrity Apprentice".

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2015: Hunting Trophy Photos Reposted

In 2015, Mia Farrow reposted the hunting trophy photos Donald Trump Jr. had taken in 2010, further fueling the controversy.

March 1, 2016: Interview with White Supremacist James Edwards

On March 1, 2016, an interview with white supremacist James Edwards and Donald Trump Jr. was aired. The Trump campaign initially denied that the interview took place, but later Trump Jr. claimed it was unintentional. This interview led to accusations from mainstream media outlets that Trump Jr. either believes in the white genocide conspiracy theory or is pretending to believe it for political gain.

June 9, 2016: 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 by publicist Rob Goldstone, who represented Azerbaijani-Russian businessman Emin Agalarov.

August 2016: Meeting with UAE and Saudi 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: Controversies Arising from Clinton Criticism and Pepe the Frog Image

In September 2016, Donald Trump Jr. used Holocaust imagery to criticize what he saw as the mainstream media's favorable coverage of Hillary Clinton. During the same month, Trump Jr. shared an image on Instagram that depicted a cross between his father and Pepe the Frog. When questioned about Pepe the Frog's association with white supremacy on Good Morning America, Trump Jr. claimed he had never heard of it and thought it was just a "frog with a wig".

2016: Skittles Tweet Controversy

During his father's presidential campaign, Donald Trump Jr. caused controversy in 2016 when he posted an image that compared Syrian refugees to Skittles, leading to condemnation from the candy's makers.

2016: WikiLeaks Solicited Cooperation of Trump Jr.

During the 2016 election, WikiLeaks actively solicited the cooperation of Donald Trump Jr., urging the Trump campaign to reject the results and sharing a link to the hacked e-mails of Clinton campaign manager John Podesta.

2016: Correspondence with Julian Assange

During the 2016 presidential election, Julian Assange used the WikiLeaks Twitter account to correspond with Donald Trump Jr.

2016: Active in Father's 2016 Presidential Campaign

In 2016, Donald Trump Jr. was active in his father's 2016 presidential campaign and had a meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

April 2017: Praise for 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. stated, "In a long gone time of unbiased journalism he'd win the Pulitzer".

May 2017: Promotion of Conspiracy Theories Involving Bill Clinton

In May 2017, Donald Trump Jr. promoted what CNN described as the "long-debunked, far-right conspiracy theory" that Bill Clinton was connected to the death of Vince Foster. In November of the same year, Trump Jr. further promoted the conspiracy theory that the Clintons had murdered people.

July 8, 2017: Tweeted Email Exchange with Rob Goldstone

On July 8, 2017, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted his email exchange with Rob Goldstone, revealing his agreement to attend the Trump Tower meeting with the understanding he would receive information damaging to Hillary Clinton. It also revealed that the Russian government was involved. Robert Mueller investigated the emails and 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: Overpayment for Event Space at Trump Hotel During Inauguration

In 2017, Donald Trump Jr. allegedly played a role in "grossly overpaying" for event space at the Trump Hotel in Washington for the inauguration, leading to a criminal investigation into misuse of his father's inaugural funds as reported on January 14, 2021.

2017: Hunted Prairie Dogs in Montana

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 Theories About Stoneman Douglas Survivors

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

February 2018: Advertisements for Trump Organization Apartments in India

In February 2018, advertisements in Indian newspapers promoted a deal whereby anyone who purchased Trump Organization apartments in Gurgaon before February 20 would be invited to have a "conversation and dinner" with Donald Trump Jr. These ads were criticized as unethical.

May 2018: Retweet of Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory About George Soros

In May 2018, Donald Trump Jr. retweeted a false and antisemitic conspiracy theory claiming that George Soros, a Jewish Hungarian-American businessman and philanthropist, 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.

June 2018: Liking Tweet Suggesting Migrant Children Were Actors

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

September 2018: Tweeting Misleading Image of Anderson Cooper During Hurricane Florence

In September 2018, as Hurricane Florence impacted the United States, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a picture of CNN journalist Anderson Cooper in floodwaters. Trump Jr. also included a link to a Breitbart News article claiming that CNN's ratings had dropped and proposed a conspiracy theory that CNN was "lying to try to make [his father, President Trump] 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 "We Build the Wall" Event

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

November 2019: Tweeting Name of Alleged Whistleblower 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 intending to protect the identity of individuals who expose government wrongdoing.

December 11, 2019: Mongolia Granted Retroactive Hunting Permit

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 a meeting with the Mongolian president cost U.S. taxpayers $76,859.36 for Secret Service protection.

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

In 2019, Donald Trump Jr. released the book "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us". The book criticizes political correctness and argues that the American left has a victimhood complex. The book generated controversy and was critically panned.

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

Check it on Amazon

2019: Hunting Trophy Photos Reposted Again

In 2019, Mia Farrow again reposted the hunting trophy photos Donald Trump Jr. had taken in 2010, 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 Hypocrisy Against Liberals 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: Twitter Restriction for COVID-19 Misinformation

In July 2020, Donald Trump Jr. received a 12-hour restriction from Twitter after he promoted misinformation about COVID-19 by retweeting a video promoting hydroxychloroquine as a cure and claiming masks were unnecessary. Twitter cited a violation of its COVID-19 misinformation policy.

August 2020: Sharing Breitbart News Article About Dead People Voting

In August 2020, Donald Trump Jr. shared a Breitbart News article about more than 800 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: Pushing False Claims About Voter Fraud

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 also asked "able-bodied" people to join an election security "army".

October 2020: Suggested Senate Run and Crowded Rally

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

October 28, 2020: RNC Purchased "Liberal Privilege" in Bulk

On October 28, 2020, the RNC paid over $300,000 to Pursuit Venture LLC, a company owned by Donald Trump Jr., for "donor mementos". This was the most money the RNC had ever spent for this purpose, and it is believed that they were purchasing copies of "Liberal Privilege" to give to donors who contributed $50–$100.

October 29, 2020: Criticizing Media's Focus on COVID-19 Infections

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 is almost nothing" and "we've gotten control of this". However, on that same day, the United States registered approximately 1,000 COVID-19 deaths.

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

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

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

In November 2020, after Pfizer announced the development of a COVID-19 vaccine with 90% effectiveness, Donald Trump Jr. suggested that the vaccine's release had been delayed to negatively impact his father's chances of winning the election.

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", detailing his criticisms of Joe Biden. He hired researchers and spent three months writing the book, citing being "stuck indoors" during the pandemic as his motivation. He chose to self-publish to leverage his own platform and the potential for bulk purchases from the RNC.

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

Check it on Amazon

2020: Active in Father's 2020 Presidential Campaign

In 2020, Donald Trump Jr. was active in his father's 2020 presidential campaign, often being on the campaign trail and being featured in the news for making unfounded claims. He called for "total war" as the results were counted and promoted the stolen election conspiracy theory. Following his father's defeat, he engaged in attempts to overturn the results.

January 6, 2021: Speech at Rally Preceding U.S. Capitol Attack

On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump Jr. spoke at a rally with his father and other speakers, warning reluctant GOP lawmakers that "we're coming for you". Following the rally, the crowd marched to the US Capitol building, where they forced entry, resulting in deaths and vandalism.

January 8, 2021: Claim About Free Speech 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: D.C. Attorney General Considers Charging Trump Jr. for Inciting Capitol Attack

On January 11, 2021, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine stated that Donald Trump Jr. is a person of interest in the criminal investigation of the attack on the U.S. Capitol and is considering whether to charge him with inciting the violent attack.

January 14, 2021: Trump Jr. a Person of Interest in Inaugural Funds Misuse Investigation

On January 14, 2021, it was reported 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., and prosecutors intend to interview him about his role in "grossly overpaying" for event space at the Trump Hotel for the 2017 inauguration.

January 2021: Mention of January 6th Congressional Decision in Text Message

Donald Trump Jr.'s text message to Mark Meadows in April 2022 referenced the potential for the election outcome to be decided by Congress on January 6, 2021, as part of a plan to subvert the Electoral College process.

January 2021: Potential Incitement Investigation

In January 2021, the Attorney General for the District of Columbia said that he is looking at whether to charge Donald Trump Jr. with inciting the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol in the criminal investigation into the attack.

March 5, 2021: Civil Lawsuit Filed Against Trump Jr. for Inciting Riot

On March 5, 2021, Representative Eric Swalwell filed a civil lawsuit against Donald Trump Jr. and others, seeking damages for their alleged role in inciting the January 6th riot.

December 2021: Text Messages Revealed Trump Jr. Begging Meadows 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 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.

February 2022: Amplifying Baseless Russian Propaganda About Biological Weapons

In February 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Donald Trump Jr. amplified baseless Russian state propaganda claiming that the US and Ukraine were developing biological weapons.

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

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 to ensure his father a second term.

April 2022: Text Message to Mark Meadows

In April 2022, it was reported that two days after the 2020 election, 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.

May 2022: $750,000 Settlement Reached in Inaugural Committee Lawsuit

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

2022: Suggested Senate Run

In October 2020, Pennsylvania Republicans suggested Donald Trump Jr. run for the vacant Senate seat in Pennsylvania in 2022.

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 which revealed that longtime Trump Organization comptroller Jeffrey McConnery sought approval from both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump for reimbursement payments to Michael Cohen.

May 2025: Conspiracy Theory Regarding Jill Biden and Joe Biden's Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

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