Trump Organization Demands Retraction from New York Times

The Trump Organization is requesting a retraction from the New York Times regarding what it describes as a “defamatory” article. This claim is based on a legal letter that suggests the article was crafted to imply financial misconduct involving Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.

The controversy arises from a Times piece published recently titled “Trump terminates $1 billion mining deal; sons stand to benefit.” This article connects the Trump brothers and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s children to a tungsten deal that President Trump finalized with Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev back in September 2025.

In the letter sent to Times Editor-in-Chief Joseph Kahn, attorney Alan Garten stated, “Your June 28 article is highly misleading and appears to have been intentionally designed to create the false impression that Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump were involved in or attempted to influence the decision to award a tungsten mining project in Kazakhstan to an affiliate of Cove Capital.”

Furthermore, Garten’s letter stresses that the allegation is “patently false,” suggesting that Times’ own reporting contradicts its claims.

A spokesperson for the New York Times responded to the allegations, asserting that the Trump Organization does not dispute the essence of their story—that Eric and Donald Jr. benefit from the U.S.-Kazakhstan tungsten mining deal. Charlie Stadtländer, the NYT’s executive director of media relations, emphasized that the article clarifies the brothers’ role as indirect, passive investors.

Tungsten is an important mineral for the U.S., especially for military applications like missiles and fighter jets. It’s controlled primarily by countries such as China, Russia, and North Korea. Securing access to it has been a priority for the Trump administration.

Kazakhstan is rich in tungsten, and Trump sought to negotiate a deal to access its resources early in his second term, despite facing challenges from tariff policies that affected pricing and imports of the metal.

The deal was finalized during a meeting at the St. Regis Hotel in New York, where Tokayev was hosted by Lutnick, and President Trump participated over the phone. They agreed verbally that the U.S. would acquire tungsten, and a formal letter of interest was signed in November.

The report highlights the Trump brothers’ connection to an investment firm, Dominari Securities, in which they hold a minority stake. However, sources assert that they were indirect investors, becoming involved through previous investments in Dominari’s ventures.

Legal letters indicated that Cov Capital’s leadership did not discuss the project with either Trump brother before the funds were allocated. Furthermore, it was stated that the Trump brothers have no control or role in these companies, nor any influence over negotiations related to the mining contract.

The letter urges the Times to retract or correct any misleading impressions and asserts that the brothers lacked involvement in the Kazakhstan project or its negotiations. The Trump Organization’s statement called the insinuation of the brothers’ involvement “categorically false, misleading and defamatory,” and claimed these facts are easily verifiable.

The White House chimed in on the matter as well, with Press Secretary Khush Desai stating that the Trump administration prioritizes the interests of the American people. He emphasized that securing critical supply chains remains a top priority.

The Commerce Department did not respond to inquiries regarding the deal or the claims about Lutnick’s sons. This situation continues to evolve, with both sides standing firm in their positions.