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Trump Jr meeting: Russia lobbyist confirms attendance | Trump Jr meeting: Russia lobbyist confirms attendance |
(35 minutes later) | |
A former Soviet counter-intelligence official attended a meeting last year with senior aides to President Donald Trump and his son, it has emerged. | A former Soviet counter-intelligence official attended a meeting last year with senior aides to President Donald Trump and his son, it has emerged. |
Rinat Akhmetshin, now a lobbyist, confirmed to US media he was present at the Trump Tower encounter. | |
Donald Trump Jr was promised damaging material on Hillary Clinton at the meeting, his emails show. | Donald Trump Jr was promised damaging material on Hillary Clinton at the meeting, his emails show. |
Mr Trump Jr has only previously acknowledged that a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, was present. | Mr Trump Jr has only previously acknowledged that a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, was present. |
The president's eldest son has played down the 9 June 2016 meeting since it was reported this week. | The president's eldest son has played down the 9 June 2016 meeting since it was reported this week. |
But the Senate Judiciary Committee has asked 39-year-old Mr Trump Jr to publicly testify. | But the Senate Judiciary Committee has asked 39-year-old Mr Trump Jr to publicly testify. |
Several congressional panels and federal investigators are looking into claims that Russia meddled in last year's US election in a bid to help Donald Trump. | |
The New York meeting was also attended by the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and election chairman, Paul Manafort. | The New York meeting was also attended by the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and election chairman, Paul Manafort. |
It has emerged as the firmest evidence yet of non-diplomatic interactions between Trump campaign aides and Russian figures. | It has emerged as the firmest evidence yet of non-diplomatic interactions between Trump campaign aides and Russian figures. |
During a news conference in Paris, France, on Thursday, Mr Trump said that "most people would have taken that meeting". | During a news conference in Paris, France, on Thursday, Mr Trump said that "most people would have taken that meeting". |
"Zero happened," the president said. | "Zero happened," the president said. |
Who is Rinat Akhmetshin? | Who is Rinat Akhmetshin? |
Mr Akhmetshin told the AP news agency he served in a Soviet military unit that was part of counterintelligence, but that he was never formally trained as a spy. | |
In court papers filed with the US District Court in Washington DC, where he lives, a mining company accused him of organising a hack on its private records as part of an alleged smear campaign. | In court papers filed with the US District Court in Washington DC, where he lives, a mining company accused him of organising a hack on its private records as part of an alleged smear campaign. |
International Mineral Resources hired a private investigator to follow Mr Akhmetshin to London. | International Mineral Resources hired a private investigator to follow Mr Akhmetshin to London. |
The Russian-American was overheard in a coffee shop bragging about arranging the cyber-attack on the firm's computer system, according to court documents. | |
Mr Akhmetshin denied the allegations, and the case was later dropped. | Mr Akhmetshin denied the allegations, and the case was later dropped. |
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the Russian government knows nothing about Mr Akhmetshin, the AP reported. | Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the Russian government knows nothing about Mr Akhmetshin, the AP reported. |
Mr Akhmetshin told the Washington Post he became a US citizen in 2009 but retains his Russian nationality. | Mr Akhmetshin told the Washington Post he became a US citizen in 2009 but retains his Russian nationality. |
He is a registered lobbyist who has focused in recent years on overturning the 2012 US Magnitsky Act. | He is a registered lobbyist who has focused in recent years on overturning the 2012 US Magnitsky Act. |
The law, which froze the assets of senior Russian officials, angered President Vladimir Putin. | The law, which froze the assets of senior Russian officials, angered President Vladimir Putin. |
Why was Akhmetshin at the meeting? | Why was Akhmetshin at the meeting? |
Mr Akhmetshin told the Washington Post he only accompanied Ms Veselnitskaya to the Trump Tower meeting on the spur of the moment after meeting her for lunch. | Mr Akhmetshin told the Washington Post he only accompanied Ms Veselnitskaya to the Trump Tower meeting on the spur of the moment after meeting her for lunch. |
He said he showed up with her at the Manhattan skyscraper wearing jeans and a T-shirt. | He said he showed up with her at the Manhattan skyscraper wearing jeans and a T-shirt. |
Mr Akhmetshin said he and Ms Veselnitskaya were joined by an interpreter. | |
"I never thought this would be such a big deal, to be honest," he said. | "I never thought this would be such a big deal, to be honest," he said. |
The meeting was set up by Rob Goldstone, a British music publicist for Russian pop star Emin Agalarov. | The meeting was set up by Rob Goldstone, a British music publicist for Russian pop star Emin Agalarov. |
Mr Agalarov worked with Donald Trump Snr on staging the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow in 2013. | Mr Agalarov worked with Donald Trump Snr on staging the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow in 2013. |
What was the meeting about? | What was the meeting about? |
Emails show that Mr Goldstone promised Mr Trump Jr that Ms Veselnitskaya, whom he described as a "Russian government attorney", would share damaging information about Mrs Clinton. | Emails show that Mr Goldstone promised Mr Trump Jr that Ms Veselnitskaya, whom he described as a "Russian government attorney", would share damaging information about Mrs Clinton. |
Mr Trump Jr said it became apparent as they spoke that Ms Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss a suspended programme for Americans to adopt Russian children. | Mr Trump Jr said it became apparent as they spoke that Ms Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss a suspended programme for Americans to adopt Russian children. |
But Mr Akhmetshin told the AP that Ms Veselnitskaya informed Mr Trump Jr she had details of possible illicit funds being funnelled to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). | |
"This could be a good issue to expose how the DNC is accepting bad money," he said he recalled her saying. | "This could be a good issue to expose how the DNC is accepting bad money," he said he recalled her saying. |
According to Mr Akhmetshin, Mr Trump Jr asked her if she had evidence to prove the claim, but the lawyer urged the Trump campaign to research the matter. | According to Mr Akhmetshin, Mr Trump Jr asked her if she had evidence to prove the claim, but the lawyer urged the Trump campaign to research the matter. |
The president's son appeared to lose interest, said Mr Akhmetshin. | The president's son appeared to lose interest, said Mr Akhmetshin. |
"They couldn't wait for the meeting to end," he added. | "They couldn't wait for the meeting to end," he added. |