Trumps and Kremlin-connected family may have communicated through transition: report

President Trump’s family and the Kremlin-connected Agalarov family were apparently communicating during Trump’s presidential transition, BuzzFeed News reported.

Azerbaijani singer and businessman Emin Agalarov started texting Donald Trump Jr. two days after the 2016 election and continued until at least mid-December, according to the report.

Trump Jr.’s contact with Agalarov during the campaign has been previously reported.

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While BuzzFeed News confirmed that multiple messages were sent after the election, the outlet noted it can’t confirm how many messages were sent or whether Trump Jr. replied to any of the messages.

Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee referred to the text messages in their report on the committee’s findings in the Russia investigation, including one text sent by Agalarov to Trump Jr. about a business venture in December 2016.

Critics argue that the messages show the Trump and Agalarov family were closer than they were assumed to be. President Trump met Agalarov in 2013 at the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow and has reportedly kept in touch since then. 

Agalarov’s music manager Rob Goldstone set up the June 2016 meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower, reportedly at the request of Agalarov. 

Democrats have criticized Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee for refusing to issue a subpoena for Trump Jr.’s phone records to determine who he spoke to about the meeting and if he received permission from his father.