Democrats launch probe into Trump son-in-law over alleged wedding deal
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are launching a probe into Michael Boulos, the son-in-law of President Trump, following reports he and his cousin brokered a deal with a Saudi businessman to provide the appearance of access to the Trump family.
A spokesman for Boulos previously denied reporting from The New York Times that found Boulos, through his cousin, discussed an invitation to his wedding to Tiffany Trump for Saudi businessman Abdulelah Allam in exchange for $100,000.
President Trump attended the wedding, held on Nov. 12, 2022 at his Mar-a-Lago residence, along with other members of his family.
“This revelation, if accurate, would represent a corrupt and reckless attempt by the Trump family to leverage proximity to Donald Trump for personal enrichment. Further, it raises serious questions as to whether financial conflicts of interest have influenced the administration’s foreign policy at the expense of American national security,” House Oversight Chair Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) wrote in a letter obtained by The Hill.
“The Committee demands to understand the details of this arrangement and whether you are continuing to leverage your position to sell access to President Trump.”
Boulos, his cousin James Frangi, and Allam met in June 2022 to discuss the financial arrangement, according to the Times. All three men dispute this reporting in some capacity.
Reporting from The Times includes text messages between Frangi and Allam, who had significant property assets seized by his country’s government in 2017.
According to The Times, Frangi discussed plans to “soften up” Saudi officials by apparently showing the businessman as close to the Trumps.
“We have a month and a half to get everything started before the wedding,” Frangi wrote, according to The Times.
The men have given differing accounts about the exchange of funds.
A spokesman for Boulos told The Times that Frangi owed him money, with Allam settling the debt between the cousins. A spokesman for Allam told the outlet the money was a loan to Boulos. Frangi reportedly referred to the exchange of funds as both a loan and the settling of a debt.
None of the men immediately responded to request for comment from The Hill.
“The Committee is further concerned by the conflicting explanations provided about the purpose of this payment,” Garcia wrote.
“Given these glaring inconsistencies, the Committee seeks to understand the underlying reason for the $100,000 transfer and whether the transaction was intended to purchase influence with the Trump family. These actions raise serious questions about whether corrupt financial interests are influencing American policy and whether President Trump is for sale to those willing to pay.”
The letter asks for all documents and communications, including bank records, regarding the payment.
While The Times said Allam never attended the Trump-Boulos wedding, the panel also asks for any documents related to the “possible attendance at Mr. Boulos’s November 12, 2022, wedding.”
The investigation is the latest in a line of Oversight probes into presidential family members.
Under the first Trump administration, House Democrats reviewed Trump’s business dealings as well as that of his children. That includes after their exit, when son-in-law Jared Kushner signed a $2 billion investment deal with the Saudis.
Under President Biden, the panel’s Republicans probed the finances of the Biden family, with ample scrutiny to the business dealings of son Hunter Biden.