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Trump 'dictated' son's statement on Russian lawyer meeting | Trump 'dictated' son's statement on Russian lawyer meeting |
(35 minutes later) | |
President Donald Trump personally dictated the statement his son gave on his talks with a Russian lawyer during the election campaign, US media report. | President Donald Trump personally dictated the statement his son gave on his talks with a Russian lawyer during the election campaign, US media report. |
It said Donald Trump Jr and the lawyer had mostly discussed the adoption of Russian children in June 2016. | |
Mr Trump Jr later revealed he had agreed to meet her after being told he could receive damaging material on Hillary Clinton. | |
President Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia. | President Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia. |
The Washington Post - which first reported the story - says some of the president's advisers fear the extent of the president's intervention could place him and some of his inner circle in legal jeopardy. | |
The Senate, the House of Representatives and a special counsel are all investigating alleged Russian interference in the presidential election which took the form of attempts to undermine Mrs Clinton - a claim denied by the Kremlin. | |
Legal concerns | Legal concerns |
The Washington Post reported that President Trump had himself dictated the statement his son issued about the meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. | |
The newspaper cited multiple sources with knowledge of the deliberations. | The newspaper cited multiple sources with knowledge of the deliberations. |
ABC News later quoted two senior-level sources as confirming this claim. | |
President Trump's advisers initially agreed that Mr Trump Jr would release a statement that "couldn't be repudiated later if the full details emerged", the Post says. | |
But it says that decision was reversed as President Trump was flying home from the G20 summit in Germany on 8 July. | But it says that decision was reversed as President Trump was flying home from the G20 summit in Germany on 8 July. |
In the statement, Mr Trump Jr said the meeting had "primarily discussed a programme about the adoption of Russian children", not campaign issues. | In the statement, Mr Trump Jr said the meeting had "primarily discussed a programme about the adoption of Russian children", not campaign issues. |
The statement was issued to the New York Times, as it was preparing its story on the meeting. | The statement was issued to the New York Times, as it was preparing its story on the meeting. |
Mr Trump Jr later acknowledged that he had agreed to meet after being told Kremlin-linked information about Mrs Clinton would be offered during the talks. | Mr Trump Jr later acknowledged that he had agreed to meet after being told Kremlin-linked information about Mrs Clinton would be offered during the talks. |
He also released the email exchange that brought about the meeting. | He also released the email exchange that brought about the meeting. |
Neither President Trump nor his son have commented on the latest media reports. | Neither President Trump nor his son have commented on the latest media reports. |
What do the emails reveal? | What do the emails reveal? |
Mr Trump Jr received an email from an intermediary, British music publicist Rob Goldstone, promising documents from Russia that would incriminate Mrs Clinton. | Mr Trump Jr received an email from an intermediary, British music publicist Rob Goldstone, promising documents from Russia that would incriminate Mrs Clinton. |
At that time, his father was the presumptive Republican nominee and heading towards an election fight against his Democratic rival. | At that time, his father was the presumptive Republican nominee and heading towards an election fight against his Democratic rival. |
The meeting was reportedly arranged by Russian businessman Aras Agalarov and his son Emin, a pop star who was managed for a time by Mr Goldstone. | The meeting was reportedly arranged by Russian businessman Aras Agalarov and his son Emin, a pop star who was managed for a time by Mr Goldstone. |
One email from Mr Goldstone said the information they had been promised was "obviously very high-level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump". | One email from Mr Goldstone said the information they had been promised was "obviously very high-level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump". |
Mr Trump Jr's response to it was: "If it's what you say I love it." | Mr Trump Jr's response to it was: "If it's what you say I love it." |
Mr Trump Jr, his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign chairman Paul Manafort met Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower in New York in June 2016. | Mr Trump Jr, his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign chairman Paul Manafort met Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower in New York in June 2016. |
It became apparent, Mr Trump Jr later said, that Ms Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss a suspended programme for Americans to adopt Russian children. | It became apparent, Mr Trump Jr later said, that Ms Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss a suspended programme for Americans to adopt Russian children. |
What did Trump Jr say about the meeting? | What did Trump Jr say about the meeting? |
Donald Trump Jr told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he did not tell his father about last year's meeting: "It was such a nothing. There was nothing to tell. | Donald Trump Jr told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he did not tell his father about last year's meeting: "It was such a nothing. There was nothing to tell. |
"I mean, I wouldn't have even remembered it until you started scouring through this stuff. It was literally just a wasted 20 minutes, which was a shame." | "I mean, I wouldn't have even remembered it until you started scouring through this stuff. It was literally just a wasted 20 minutes, which was a shame." |
In retrospect, he would have done things a little differently, Mr Trump Jr told Fox News, but he defended his actions. | In retrospect, he would have done things a little differently, Mr Trump Jr told Fox News, but he defended his actions. |
But the meeting went nowhere, he said, and it was apparent Mrs Clinton was not the subject. | But the meeting went nowhere, he said, and it was apparent Mrs Clinton was not the subject. |
He could not vouch for the information he was sent, he said. | He could not vouch for the information he was sent, he said. |
"Someone sent me an email. I can't help what someone sends me. I read it, I responded accordingly, and if there was something interesting there, I think that's pretty common." | "Someone sent me an email. I can't help what someone sends me. I read it, I responded accordingly, and if there was something interesting there, I think that's pretty common." |
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