Donald Trump Jr is on the criminal hot seat, just days after his wife filed for divorce
Last week Vanessa Trump abruptly filed for divorce from Donald Trump Jr, citing his past affair that she’d already known about for six years, sparking questions about the timing. Was she trying to separate herself, and perhaps her share of the family’s assets, from her husband before he can go down for criminal charges in the Trump-Russia scandal? It’s notable that, just days after the divorce filing, Donald Trump Jr is back on the criminal hot seat.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had informed Donald Trump of three key topics for their interview: Trump’s firing of James Comey, the role of Jeff Sessions in Comey’s firing, and Trump’s knowledge of Michael Flynn’s activities. Now CNN is reporting on a fourth topic: Trump’s plot to mislead the public about Donald Trump Jr’s meeting with the Russians during the election (link). The timing here can’t be ignored.
This means that Mueller is targeting Donald Trump for having tried to obstruct justice by misleading the public, and thus misleading federal investigators, when he lied about his son’s Russia meeting. In turn, it means that Mueller views the Trump Jr meeting, and the efforts by Trump Sr to cover it up, to be a cornerstone of the Trump-Russia criminal investigation. Junior’s own emails reveal that he went into that meeting seeking dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Russians, which opens him up to criminal charges ranging from receiving stolen property to conspiracy against the United States.
Robert Mueller’s request alone does not confirm that Donald Trump Jr is facing imminent indictment or arrest. But when you pair this development with the fact that Donald Trump Jr’s wife just decided to end their marriage a few days ago, this can’t be overlooked. We already know that Mueller subpoenaed the financial records of the Trump Organization, which is now run by Trump Jr, at nearly the same time Vanessa Trump filed for divorce. Now we know that the divorce also lines up with Mueller’s sudden emphasis on Junior’s Russia meeting.
