(CN) – Donald Trump Jr. has been subpoenaed by the Senate Intelligence Committee to answer questions about testimony he gave in 2017 as part of its ongoing probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, according to multiple reports on Wednesday.
News website Axios first reported the story, citing two anonymous sources familiar with the matter. The action is the first known subpoena of a member of President Donald Trump’s immediate family. Trump Jr. was investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller’s team over a meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer who promised dirt on Hillary Clinton.
In Mueller’s report, Cohen told investigators of a time being in Trump’s office when Trump Jr. discussed a meeting where he could obtain “adverse information” about Clinton and that the two had already spoken together about the meeting.
According to the anonymous sources, the subpoena for Trump Jr. was issued at least a week ago, but it is currently unknown if he will comply with it. A person close to Trump Jr. said Wednesday that the president’s son has cooperated with the committee by submitting documents and answers to written questions.
The committee is interested in re-examining Trump Jr. after his father’s former lawyer Michael Cohen testified before Congress in February. Cohen said he had spoken with Trump Jr. about 10 times about plans to construct a Trump Tower in Moscow. In 2017, Trump Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee he was “peripherally aware” of such a plan.
Despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declaring “case closed” on the Russia probe, the Senate Intelligence Committee led by Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., has continued its investigation.
In an interview with The Washington Post last week, Burr said he was not likely to pursue perjury charges for Trump Jr.
“I would assume that they made a determination either that they weren’t criminal or they weren’t chargeable,” Burr said. “I’m not interested in re-litigating any of Bob Mueller’s conclusions.”
A committee spokesperson did not confirm the subpoena. Burr told reporters last week that he hopes to finish the investigation by the end of the year.
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