Eric Trump on Thursday pushed back against criticism that President Trump may be friendlier to Saudi Arabia and Russia because of personal financial interests involving the two countries.
“There’s zero investments in Russia. There’s zero investments in Saudi. We have absolutely nothing to do with those countries,” the younger Trump, who helps oversee the Trump Organization, asserted on “Fox & Friends.”
“And by the way my father’s been tougher on Russia than probably any human being in the world,” Trump declared. “That’s what happens when you give offensive weapons to Ukraine.”
Senate Democrats have asked the president and Trump Organization to disclose any ties to Saudi Arabia amid pressure on the Trump administration to offer a more forceful response to the alleged slaying of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was a U.S. resident before he went missing earlier this month.
{mosads}”Your recent statements, and public reports of increased spending by the Saudi government at Trump properties, raise significant concerns about financial conflicts of interest,” the Democratic senators wrote in a letter to Trump on Wednesday.
The senators also sent letters to Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., the president’s adult sons who took over management of the Trump Organization when their father entered the White House.
Trump has for years had business ties to Saudis and boasted about his relationship with Saudis in 2015 during a rally while running for president, saying, “Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them. They buy apartments from me … They spend $40 million, $50 million. Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much.”
The president’s business ties have come under increased scrutiny as he faces growing pressure to respond more forcefully to the disappearance and alleged slaying of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
Turkish authorities say Saudi operatives, including some with ties to Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman or his security detail, tortured, killed and dismembered the journalist inside the consulate shortly after he arrived for documents for his marriage.
“For the record, I have no financial interests in Saudi Arabia (or Russia, for that matter),” Trump asserted in a tweet earlier this week. “Any suggestion that I have is just more FAKE NEWS (of which there is plenty)!”
Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. was requesting audio and video of Khashoggi. He spoke as grisly details emerged in a New York Times report, citing a Turkish official and an audio recording of the alleged killing, that said that Khashoggi’s fingers were severed, he was beheaded and his body dismembered.
Trump has repeatedly echoed denials from Saudi leadership that they were involved in Khashoggi’s disappearance. He previously said that if the Saudis were involved in any wrongdoing there would be “severe punishment.”