Trump Jr wanted for questioning by DC attorney general over alleged inaugural funds abuse

Karl Racine ‘extremely confident’ US president’s eldest son broke law

Donald Trump Jr is wanted for questioning as part of an investigation into the alleged misuse of his father’s 2017 presidential inauguration funds.  

Washington DC attorney general Karl Racine said Mr Trump Jr had been notified of the request, which was sent after new evidence emerged in court filings earlier this week.

They allege that the Presidential Inaugural Committee “improperly wasted its fund” when it paid almost $50,000 (£37,000) to the Loews Madison for a block of hotel rooms on behalf of the Trump Organization.

The reservation was arranged by Mr Trump Jr’s personal assistant, the court filings claim, and the rooms appeared to have been given to a personal friend of the president’s eldest son.

The incident emerged as part of the DC attorney general’s wider probe into the alleged misuse of more than $1 million (£733,000) by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, which is accused of “grossly overpaying” for event space at the Trump International Hotel in DC during the inauguration.  

In January the attorney general’s office announced it was suing the committee and the Trump Organization over the payments.  

Mr Racine told CNN on Thursday he was “extremely confident” Mr Trump Jr and the wider Trump family had broken the law.

“We’re before a court and at the end of the day the court will decide, but the evidence is clear. The Trump business and the Trump family used the not-for-profit to profit themselves,” Mr Racine said.

“That’s why the presidential inauguration commission paid so much money for rooms and event space that were far above market rate during the inauguration, and that’s why we just amended our complaint to include that Donald Trump Jr’s good friend essentially had a free set of rooms for a period of time during the inauguration for no good not-for-profit purpose.  

“That’s not consistent with the law, that’s why we’re going to pursue that.”

The Trump Organisation has been contacted for comment.