Donald Trump Jr, the US President’s eldest son, spent two days hunting in Mongolia at the end of August 2026 alongside Russian businessman Umar Kremlev, who has close ties to Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. The trip took place under the protection of the US Secret Service, and the US Embassy paid for hotel accommodation totalling over 18,000 dollars.
- Donald Trump Jr. spent two days hunting in Mongolia at the end of August 2026.
- Kremlev flew in from Kazakhstan together with the businessman Artur Martirosov.
- The US Embassy spent $18,715 on hotel rooms during the Secret Service agents’ stay in Mongolia.
Trump Jr and Kremlev spent two days at a hunting lodge
According to the Financial Times, Donald Trump Jr. He arrived in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, at the end of August, after which he travelled hundreds of kilometres westwards across the country. There, he stayed at a remote hunting camp with a small group of organisers, guides, drivers and cooks.
The US President’s son was accompanied by a long-standing sponsor of the Republican Party Kevin Small, who had previously taken part in joint hunting trips with him.
27 August Umar Kremlev He left the International Boxing Association (IBA) press conference in Kazakhstan and flew to Ulaanbaatar on a charter flight that night. A Russian businessman arrived with him Artur Martirosov, a partner at the «Voskhod» venture capital fund, which is subject to US sanctions.
Kremlev and Martyrosov eventually made their way to the hunting lodge where Trump Jr. was staying. According to journalists, the US president’s son and the Russian businessman spent two days there.
The Financial Times confirmed the circumstances of their meeting using accounts from local guides and officials, flight tracking data, social media posts and official documents.
They tried to avoid having their photograph taken together
One of the participants in the trip told journalists that Donald Trump Jr and Umar Kremlev had tried to avoid being photographed together whilst at the hunting camp. At the same time, videos appeared on social media which confirmed the presence of people involved in organising the hunt.
In particular, Kremlev posted a video on Telegram showing his group preparing for a morning hunt. Trump Jr. himself does not appear in the footage, but journalists recognised two of the organisers of his trip.
After two days at the camp, Kremlev returned to Ulaanbaatar, from where he travelled to Yakutsk for an IBA boxing event.
Trump Jr. stayed in Mongolia for about another week. He continued hunting in the western part of the country, particularly in the Bayan-Ulgii aimag.
According to one of the guides, during the trip the US President’s son bagged an Altai argali — a rare wild sheep that is at risk of extinction.
The US Embassy spent over 18,000 dollars on security arrangements
During his stay in Mongolia, Donald Trump Jr. was accompanied by officers from the US Secret Service, which is responsible for the security of members of the presidential family.
According to federal documents obtained by the Financial Times, The US Embassy in Ulaanbaatar paid for hotel rooms totalling $18,715.
The documents state that the expenses related to the Secret Service agents’ stay in Mongolia from 23 August to 6 September.
However, these figures do not imply that the US budget covered the hunting trips themselves or Trump Jr’s personal expenses. The documented expenses relate to accommodation whilst on security duty.
Kremlin had previously paid for part of Trump’s son’s wedding celebrations
The trip to Mongolia took place a few months after wedding celebrations Donald Trump Jr. and Bettini Anderson in the Bahamas.
In September, ProPublica journalists discovered that Umar Kremlev had covered part of the costs of the celebrations held on private islands in May 2026. According to the investigation, the Russian businessman spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, including on renting the island, organising parties and fireworks. Kremlev himself was also present at the celebrations alongside other Russian guests.
Following the publication of the investigation, Democrats in the US Congress launched an inquiry into the financial links between the Russian businessman and the president’s son.
President of the United States Donald Trump In September, he told journalists that his son had returned, or was due to return, the money spent on the celebrations to the Kremlin.
A spokesperson for Trump Jr. had previously confirmed the friendly relationship between the two men. According to him, they met through a mutual acquaintance from the world of hunting and became close thanks to their shared interest in boxing and outdoor activities.
He also denied that there were any business ties between Trump Jr and the Kremlin.
Who is Umar Kremlev and how is he connected to Putin?
Umar Kremlev heads the International Boxing Association (IBA). Prior to this, he led the Russian Boxing Federation, and his influence within the sporting community grew thanks to his links with Russian political and security agencies.
According to journalistic investigations, Kremlev maintains contact with members of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.
In April 2026, the Russian president awarded him the Order of Friendship. Kremlev also has links with Russian state-owned companies. In particular, IBA received substantial financial support from Gazprom.
Ukraine imposed targeted sanctions against the Kremlin as early as January 2023.
His close ties to the Russian authorities and his contacts with the US President’s family have already attracted the attention of former US counter-intelligence officers.
After a hunting trip, Trump’s son met with the President of Mongolia
After finishing his hunting trip, Donald Trump Jr. returned to Ulaanbaatar, where he met with the President of Mongolia Ukhnagiyom Khurelsukhom.
A spokesperson for the US President’s son stated that the conversation mainly centred on hunting and outdoor activities. The Mongolian side also described the meeting as informal and denied that any political issues had been discussed.
Earlier, a representative of the Mongolian authorities had published photographs of the meeting and reported that bilateral relations and potential business opportunities had been discussed. The post was subsequently deleted.
