On Friday, a Republican Senator said outright that President Donald Trump’s son has engaged in “corruption.” This is according to Senator John Curtis (R-UT), who was responding to reports that Donald Trump Jr’s luxury wedding was paid for by a Russian oligarch.
“Believe this — a Russian oligarch paid for a lavish wedding afterparty for Donald Trump Jr., which to me, it just stinks. It’s corruption. I don’t like it,” said Curtis in a video address posted to social media. He said that he would have more to say on the matter later, but for now asserted, “This is a big deal.”
As the Guardian explains, “Donald Trump Jr and his wife, Bettina, confirmed on Monday that a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin partially paid for the couple’s wedding celebrations in May, following a ProPublica report revealing Umar Kremlev spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the events. Trump Jr., the US president’s eldest child, married the Palm Beach socialite in a lavish three-day celebration across two exclusive private islands in May. Citing records and interviews with three anonymous sources familiar with the event, ProPublica reported that Kremlev, a member of the Russian president’s circle, footed the bill to rent one of the islands where a reception was held and where guests slept, along with other large expenses, including a huge firework show.” The story has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum.
But Curtis wasn’t just worried about the Trump family’s corrupt dealings. He also raised the issue of skyrocketing gas prices, saying, “They’re reaching new highs, particularly in Utah. Really grumpy everybody is about how much it costs to fill a tank. And we’re not seeing any relief on these prices coming at us across the board.” What’s more, said Curtis, there is a major problem with inflation and rising interest rates. As Curtis noted, “The Fed raised interest rates a quarter point because inflation has worsened. I think we all have to admit that.”
While it is rare for Republican lawmakers to criticize Trump, in recent weeks, conservative critiques have emerged as the midterms approach. GOP candidates are well aware that the president is dragging down their electoral chances, and they’ve been taking steps to distance themselves from Trump. Many have removed his name and messaging from their campaign materials, and on Thursday, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) released a video in which she criticized Trump directly, saying, “Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far.”