Trump White House Reportedly Threatens Politico-Business Insider Over Critical Report About Don Jr.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
The Trump White House is reportedly considering a probe into the parent company behind Politico and Business Insider after the latter published a report this week comparing Donald Trump Jr.’s business ventures to those of Hunter Biden.
According to a report published by The Bulwark on Tuesday, the White House is “sending aggressive signals about launching a potential federal investigation” into Axel Springer, the German media conglomerate that owns both outlets.
On May 6, Business Insider’s Bethany McLean published a report that was headlined, “Don Jr. Is the New Hunter Biden.”
McLean highlighted Trump Jr.’s joining of the venture capital firm 1789 Capital. She quoted a source reportedly close to the Trump family who said, “What they’re doing is selling access to the president via the back door.”
The piece noted Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, had his business dealings scrutinized for years and was accused of essentially running a White House access racket operation.
The Business Insider report apparently angered the White House, according to The Bulwark’s Will Sommer.
Sommer cited an exclusive follow-up report from Breitbart News to McLean’s piece. In that story, the outlet’s Matthew Boyle quoted an unnamed White House adviser who described Axel Springer as a “German influence operation.”
The adviser told Boyle that Politico and Business Insider’s reporting could constitute “illegal foreign political meddling.” The person adding that Axel Springer could face federal scrutiny.
Boyle attached both Politico and Business Insider to an attempt by Germany to put its hand in American politics and said the company had “grabbed the attention of the White House and senior administration officials.”
In his report, Boyle added, “Now, Axel Springer as a company is in federal crosshairs as U.S. officials determine if the media conglomerate that owns Business Insider and Politico among other major publications in the U.S. and around the world is running afoul of federal ethics norms.”
