When America elected Donald Trump as president in 2016, it was something of a package deal. In addition to putting Trump in office, the country also thrust many of his children into the limelight.
And being in that limelight can be a double-edged sword. Nobody understands that better than Donald Trump Jr., a man whose every action has been scrutinized for the last few years. And some of these actions are downright shocking.
Don’t believe it? Here are some of the most important things you should know about Donald Trump Jr.
Political hot water
Some of Donald Trump’s family members have been very involved in his administration. This hasn’t been the case with Donald Trump Jr., but this may be because of some political scandals that he caused.
Before Donald Trump won the election, his son helped with his political campaign and the transition into the White House. But along the way, Donald Trump Jr. took a meeting with a Russian lawyer that claims to have dirt on Hillary Clinton.
News of this meeting raised concerns about national security and eventually culminated in a three-hour Senate Intelligence Committee session where they interviewed Donald Trump Jr. about potentially lying to congress about this meeting. While there wasn’t much direct fallout from this matter, this ability to start political scandals likely ket Don Jr. at a distance from his father’s administration.
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Twitter drama
Like father, like son? As it turns out, Don Jr. learned a lot from his father. Not about the art of the deal, but about the art of starting drama on Twitter!
For example, the Guardian reports that Don Jr. retweeted and then deleted a Twitter post that said, “Kamala Harris is implying she is descended from American Black Slaves. She’s not. She comes from Jamaican Slave Owners. That’s fine. She’s not an American Black. Period.”
This kicked off international discussions over whether Don Jr. was a racist. And in July of 2020, he actually received a Twitter suspension for sharing a video about the (completely unproven) benefits of hydroxychloroquine, which his father and others thought might help to combat COVID-19.
Trump Organization issues
We know that Don Jr. caused scandals when he tried his hand at politics. That’s partially why he stuck with helping to run the Trump organization. But this was another area where scandal seemed to follow wherever he went.
While Donald Trump Jr. co-manages the Trump Organization through a trust, he is still one of the most recognizable faces of the organization. And some of his actions have drawn additional scrutiny from politicians and media outlets alike.
For example, legal watchdog and communications expert Jordan Libowitz told the Guardian about Don Jr.’s trips abroad–specifically, his trip to India in 2018. “Newspapers all around the country had front page adverts in which they offered for a down payment, a chance to meet with him and have dinner with him,” Libowitz pointed out. “So access to Don Jr is certainly available for the right price—that raises the question whether there is by proxy access to the president.”
Right now, the Trump Organization is under a criminal investigation courtesy of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. It is possible that some of Don Jr.’s actions while managing this organization may come back to haunt him!
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His love life
Unlike other areas of his life, Donald Trump Jr. seems to have a love life that is generally free of scandal. But that doesn’t mean that it didn’t have a few surprises!
For example, he and Vanessa Trump got married back in 2005 and had five children together. And it certainly looked like they would be sticking together for the long haul.
But in 2018, they announced they were getting divorced. That divorce finalized in 2019, and Don Jr. wasted no time moving on.
He is now dating Fox News television personality Kimberly Guilfoyle. They began dating one month after Don Jr. and Vanessa separated. Time will tell whether this relationship last longer than his relationship with Vanessa.
Father of five
Donald Trump certainly established a lasting legacy by having five children spread across three marriages. And while Don Jr. has only had one marriage, he has matched his father by having five children.
With former wife Vanessa, Don Jr. shares three children: Kai, Donald John III, Tristan, Spencer, and Chloe. And if Donald Trump Jr. ends up pursuing a political career of his own like his father did, these children may someday become some of the most influential people in the world!
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A political legacy
Donald Trump Jr. has been a lightning rod for scandal, especially when it comes to the world of politics. Shockingly, though, this has not discouraged his future political ambitions.
Back in 2017, Don Jr. spoke to guests at the F6 Labs gun club in Hicksville, New York. One of those guests later told Page Six that Donald Trump Jr. was interested in running for governor of New York.
But why the change in focus? The guest claims Don Jr. said “Going back to doing deals is boring after 18 months,” he said to guests. “The politics bug bit me.”