Donald Trump Jr. and journalist John Solomon discussed what Solomon described as newly uncovered intelligence intercepts involving Ukrainian officials and a proposed use of U.S. aid funds, raising questions about how foreign assistance may have been discussed in connection with domestic political activity.
Trump Jr. opened the discussion by referencing Solomon’s reporting and asking for further details about the alleged findings.
“You broke this incredible story about NSA intercepts showing Ukrainian officials basically discussing a plot to funnel back millions in American aid money back to the Biden 2024, campaign through, you know, none other than USAID. I mean, really, I guess it shouldn’t surprise us anymore, but it should shock us, you know? Can you walk us through it? And you know, what else we need to know?” Trump Jr. said.
Solomon responded by providing context he said was necessary to understand the claims, pointing to past interactions between Ukrainian officials and U.S. political figures.
“Yeah, let’s give everybody a little quick history lesson, because the context of this is important. In 2016 we know that the USM, the Ukrainian embassy in the United States, was advocating for Hillary Clinton’s campaign. The ambassador even wrote an op ed doing so in the period before that, they were enriching the Ukrainian gas company Burisma was enriching Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. So Ukrainians generally have had a leftward lurch in their support in the American political system, sometimes very overtly,” Solomon said.
He added that those relationships had been previously disputed but later confirmed in various public discussions.
“Turns out, it was all true. It wasn’t a conspiracy theory. Hunter Biden and the Democratic Party were deeply entangled with the Ukrainian government, Ukrainian businesses, and we lived through that,” Solomon said.
Solomon then described what he said were intercepted communications from 2022 and early 2023, during a period when he said President Joe Biden’s fundraising was facing challenges.
“Joe Biden’s in the White House. And in 2022 and early 23 his fundraising is lagging, even though he’s the incumbent. He’s got the problems with the Afghanistan withdrawal, questions about his mental acuity, enormous unpopularity, particularly when it comes to an open border,” Solomon said.
According to Solomon, the intercepts involved conversations among Ukrainian officials and referenced discussions with personnel connected to the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“And so it’s at that moment when NSA guys with headphones on are listening and they intercept a series of conversations. Some of these are probably on email, and it’s a senior government official in the Ukrainian government of President Zelensky talking about a plot that has been discussed with USAID workers, our foreign aid agency workers in Kyiv, to give a two, $300 million Clean Energy grant to Ukraine,” Solomon said.
Trump Jr. responded by questioning the feasibility of such a project under current conditions.
“They’re not building solar panels when you’re getting bombed everyday. It’s probably not great use of a panel,” Trump Jr. said.
Solomon continued by describing what he characterized as the intent behind the proposed funding.
“A complete ruse, and they even say so. Listen, the intercept suggests that this is not going to be a justified project, but you’ll spend the money, and then by the time they discover it, it won’t be recoverable,” Solomon said.
He outlined a sequence in which the funds would allegedly be routed through multiple layers before reaching political organizations in the United States.
“And the goal is, take that money, then you’re going to give it to non governmental organizations, nonprofits, then they’re going to hire subcontractors with the USAID money, and then those subcontractors are going to hire American companies, and those American companies are then going to move the money into the coffers of Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign and the Democratic National Committee,” Solomon said.
He added that the intercepts suggested a significant portion of the funds could be redirected.
“And they said they hope to arrange this in such a way that 90% of the money that originally came from you and I taxpayers through USAID to Ukraine would ultimately be laundered into the DNC and Joe Biden to help his 2024 campaign,” Solomon said.
Solomon said the intercepts were not previously brought to the attention of federal investigators during the Biden administration but have since been identified.
“That was only recently discovered that intercept, or series of intercepts, were not ever brought to the attention of anyone at the FBI or anyone during the Biden years,” Solomon said.
He also noted that an inquiry has been initiated to determine whether any of the alleged activity took place.
“Tulsi Gabbard just recently founded, she’s asked USAID to go look and see if they can find the contract. Did it happen? Was there some fraud involved? And so there’s a beginning of an investigation to find out what whether, whether, what was discussed ultimately transpired. And we should know answers in a couple of weeks,” Solomon said.
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