Republican senator calls for probe into US presidents’ sons, citing crypto ventures

Senator John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, has called for an investigation into the sons of former U.S. President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden. The request stems from concerns over potential conflicts of interest and the family's involvement in the crypto industry. Curtis sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee Chair and its ranking member, urging them to examine the use of presidential family relationships for personal financial gain, preferential treatment, or access by domestic and foreign interests.

He specifically named Donald Trump Jr. for accepting gifts from Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev during his wedding and for his advisory roles with prediction market platforms, which are subject to regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Curtis also requested a probe into Hunter Biden for "substantial business with foreign entities" and instances where his relationship to the presidency was used to his advantage.

President Biden pardoned his son in December 2024 for crimes alleged to have occurred over the past decade, a move that Curtis noted Hunter denied involving his father in his business deals. The senator's call for an investigation follows a failed attempt earlier in the session to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which aimed to establish rules for the crypto industry's market structure.

The bill's failure, according to some Democrats, was due to Trump using crypto to turn the presidency into a profit-generating machine. President Trump disclosed in 2025 that his ventures tied to digital assets had earned him $1.4 billion, and Republicans claim he agreed to stronger ethics provisions in the bill before the vote, though many Democrats believe the measures were insufficient to prevent corruption.