Donald Trump Jr. said he did not know if reading emails stating the Russian government was interested in helping his father's campaign set off any "sirens" for him during an interview Tuesday on Fox News.
Trump Jr. is at the center of a growing controversy surrounding a meeting he took last summer with a Russian attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya. Emails reveal Trump Jr. was told by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone, that he could set up a meeting with the lawyer that had compromising information on Hillary Clinton that was "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump."
Trump Jr. responded that "I love it especially later in the summer."
Fox News Sean Hannity addressed the subject in his interview with the president's eldest son.
"When you read the parts about the Russian government or Russia supporting your father, did that put off any sirens in your head?" Hannity asked.
"Honestly, I don't know," Trump Jr. said. "I mean, I think this was, again, just basic information that was going to be possibly there. I didn't know these guys really enough to understand that if this talent manager from Miss Universe had this kind of thing, so I wanted to hear them out and play it out and see what happens, but, you know, people trying to reach out to you all the time with this."
Trump Jr. released the emails in question on Tuesday as the New York Times published its latest story on the controversy. He has pledged to cooperate with any investigation into the matter.
During his interview with Hannity, he repeatedly downplayed the significance of the meeting, calling it "nothing" and saying his father had no knowledge it took place.