Donald Trump Jr. met with a Gulf emissary three months before the 2016 election offering to help his father win the contest against Democrat Hillary Clinton, according to a report Saturday.
Trump Jr. spoke with George Nader, an emissary for the two wealthy princes leading Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in Trump Tower, the New York Times reports.
The meeting was set up by Erik Prince, a private security contractor who formerly ran Blackwater. Joel Zamel, a social media specialist, also attended the meeting. Zamel’s company had drawn up a multimillion-dollar proposal for a social media manipulation campaign that would give a boost to Trump.
It’s unknown whether such a plan was ever carried out or who commissioned it but Trump Jr. liked the plan, according to the Times. And after Trump won the election, Nader paid Zamel up to $2 million. The reasons behind the payment are unclear.
The meeting and subsequent interactions are being looked into by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the election. Trump’s Jr.’s meeting with the Gulf emissary is the first example of a country other than Russia approaching the Trump campaign before the election to offer help.
