In August 2026, Donald Trump Jr., son of the US President, went on a summer hunting trip to Mongolia, where he spent several days in the company of Russian businessman Umar Kremlev — chairman of the International Boxing Association (IBA), who is close to Vladimir Putin. This was reported by the Financial Times, citing federal documents and their own sources. The trip, which the American's representative called an "unofficial outdoor vacation," drew attention due to the public status of both participants and the circumstances of their stay together in Uvs Aimag.
Hunting an endangered species and background
According to the FT, Trump Jr. arrived in Ulaanbaatar in early August and headed to a hunting camp in Uvs Aimag, where he shot an argali — a species under threat of extinction. The publication notes that since 2019, he has shot at least two such animals in Mongolia. Later, after spending two days in the company of Kremlev, the American remained in the country for another week and went to Bayan-Ulgii Aimag to hunt Siberian ibex.
Security and embassy expenses
As Trump Jr. is a member of the current President's family, he was accompanied by the US Secret Service. According to federal documents published by the FT, the US Embassy in Ulaanbaatar paid for the security's lodging from August 23 to September 6 for a total of $18,715. These data record at least two weeks of the American security service's presence on Mongolian territory.
Kremlev’s movements and the sanctioned partner
The Financial Times reports that Umar Kremlev left a press conference in Kazakhstan and flew to Mongolia on a night charter flight. He was accompanied by Artur Martirosov, a partner of the Russian venture fund "Voshod," which is under US sanctions. Sources noted that Trump Jr. and Kremlev avoided taking photos together. After spending two days together, Kremlev returned to Ulaanbaatar, from where he flew to Yakutsk for a boxing match.
Dinner with the President of Mongolia and a deleted post
Upon returning to the capital, Trump Jr. met for dinner with the President of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. A Mongolian government official initially posted photos on Facebook and reported on a discussion regarding relations and business opportunities, but the post was subsequently deleted. The American's representative, in turn, called the meeting unofficial and focused on outdoor recreation. The first known public meeting between Trump Jr. and Kremlev, according to the FT, took place last year in Istanbul at an event featuring boxer Manny Pacquiao, where the US President's son called the Russian "not just a leader, but a friend."
Context: wedding expenses and political ambitions
The trip to Mongolia comes against the backdrop of a ProPublica investigation, published on September 14, 2026, which reported that Umar Kremlev had secretly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for Donald Trump Jr.'s luxurious wedding in the Bahamas. Donald Trump himself reacted to this situation, stating that his son would repay Kremlev for the funds spent on the wedding festivities. The Telegraph, in turn, reported that Kremlev is striving to regain control over Olympic boxing through his association, the IBA, and to gain political leverage through Trump Jr.
