Eric Trump backed calls for a federal investigation into ABC News regarding a problematic story published last week about his family’s involvement with defense contractor Anduril Industries. Senator Bernie Moreno from Ohio urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to look into the erroneous report that appeared on the Disney-owned network’s website, which claimed that investments by Trump’s sons had resulted in billions of dollars in Pentagon contracts. This report was initially taken down without any explanation, only to be re-released later with corrections.
Eric Trump reacted to Moreno’s request on social media, expressing his eagerness to take part in the investigation. He criticized the way the network handled the situation, stating, “You can’t publish a bulls**t hit-piece, let it spread and go viral, then delete it 24 hours later, under the cover of darkness with no explanation or apology.” He demanded to know who authorized the story and whether the author faced any consequences.
Moreno challenged ABC’s handling of the original report, which suggested that companies connected to the Trump family had secured significant government contracts, including those facilitated through the firm 1789 Capital, where Donald Trump Jr. is a partner. He sought accountability for ABC News, questioning if the network violated its broadcasting obligations with such reporting.
The letter emphasized the need for transparency about who approved the publication and the intentions behind it, signaling a serious concern over potential inaccuracies. The controversy also revolved around claims made earlier by ABC regarding a $2.5 billion investment being linked to the Trump sons, whereas the actual amount was considerably smaller and associated with a broader fundraising activity by Anduril.
In response to the backlash, ABC News later released a revised article that recognized its earlier mistakes concerning the investment details and the timeline of the events. The new title of the article notably shifted the focus to a new shipyard announcement and clarified that Trump Jr. was not part of the firm’s investment decision-making board. However, the byline of the original reporter was replaced with a generic “ABC News.”
A source from 1789 indicated that an ABC journalist previously defended the initial story before it was deleted, casting doubt on the narrative that the piece was published too early. Amid all this, ABC News had not responded to requests for comments about the situation.
