Tag: Arab states of the Persian Gulf

Donald Trump Jr met with an emissary for foreign governments seeking to help his father’s presidential campaign three months before the 2016 election, the New York Times reported on Saturday. Also present, the paper said, were an Israeli specialist in social media manipulation, Joel Zamel, and Erik Prince, the founder of the private military contractor formerly known as Blackwater. The special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating that interference and alleged links between Trump aides and Moscow. During the Trump Tower meeting, the Times said, George Nader, the emissary for the two crown princes, indicated that leaders in Saudi Arabia and the UAE wished to help Trump. Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for Trump Jr, told the Times: “Prior to the 2016 election, Donald Trump Jr recalls a meeting with Erik Prince, George Nader and another individual who may be Joel Zamel. The lawyer also said Zamel had “provided full cooperation to the government to assist with their investigation”. The report cited “a senior official in Saudi Arabia” who it said denied Nader had ever been authorized to speak for the Saudi government. It was later disclosed that the encounter was arranged when the Russians offered to provide incriminating information about Clinton. The president’s son has said his father was not aware of that Trump Tower meeting. Last year, Trump embraced a Saudi-led blockade against Qatar, a key US ally, against the counsel of his foreign policy advisers.