During a CNN interview, Eric Trump was compelled to respond to questions about a hot mic moment involving his father, President Donald Trump, and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
In the brief, overheard exchange, Subianto asked his U.S. counterpart, “Can I meet Eric?”
Trump replied: “I’ll have Eric call … he’s such a good boy.”
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins pressed Eric on whether the comment implied involvement in the family’s business affairs. She also questioned whether there is a clear separation between the Trump Organization and President Trump’s role as the leader of the free world.
Eric pushed back.
He said he had never met Subianto and insisted there was a “huge wall” between the family’s business and his father’s political office. He suggested the comment likely referred to Trump Organization projects in Indonesia, where the family has business interests.
Still, the exchange has drawn fresh scrutiny over the longstanding ethical questions surrounding the Trump family’s mix of business ties and political influence.
According to a transcript provided by Mediaite, Collins pressed Eric on the family’s business ties abroad.
“I was just in the Middle East with your dad,” she began. “He obviously brokered the ceasefire in Gaza. Was there meeting with a bunch of world leaders on what the future of that is going to look like in the phase two of that agreement, and how to implement that.
“There was a moment, where he was speaking with the president of Indonesia. It got a lot of attention. I know you’ve seen this.”
“Yes,” Eric acknowledged.
Collins turned to the footage.
In the clip, Subianto could be heard asking, “Can I meet Eric?”
President Trump responded warmly. “I’ll have Eric call. Should I do that? He’s such a good boy. I’ll have Eric call.”
“Thank you,” Subianto replied, before the two men briefly exchanged remarks about looking for “a better place” for discussion. Trump concluded, “I’ll have one of them call. Thank you. I like that you told me that. We don’t need that.”
Back in the studio, Collins pressed further. “Obviously, there are investment projects happening in Indonesia. First off, have you heard from the president? Has he called you?”
Eric shook his head. “No, not about that. But I’m glad he acknowledges that I’m a good boy. I am a good boy.
“We have two of the biggest projects in Indonesia. We signed those in 2014, 2015, respectively. Got a great project in Bali. We’ve been working on it for a decade. We’ve got a great project right outside Jakarta, a great golf course that I operate every single day, incredibly proud of it. It’s probably the greatest course in the region.
“And so, I’m honored that the president knows about it and clearly asks about it, because they’re probably two of the most consequential real estate projects, obviously, in the region that started before my father’s first presidency, before my father first even won, probably before he actually started campaigning. And so, I’m honored that he knows about it.
“I’ve never — I’ve never met the president of Indonesia. But it doesn’t surprise me, given the magnitude and prominence of those projects that —”
“Yes, but for —” Collins interjected.
“— he knows about what I’m doing over there,” Eric finished.
Collins pushed harder. “For people who see that moment and say, Well, there’s supposed to be this wall between the President and his business, and what’s happening? As you described it, a big wall that was put in place, and he’s not supposed to be involved in the day-to-day activities.”
“Yes,” Eric agreed.
“I mean, what does it say when a world leader clearly thinks he is, and is asking, it seemed, in reference to that, and asking to get in touch with you?”
“I think there’s a huge wall,” Eric replied. “I mean, there’s so much of a wall that the guy has never met me. I mean, think about that, Kaitlan, think about your question, right?
“I mean, that the president has never met me, and he said, I’d love to meet your son, because I know he has two of the biggest projects in Indonesia that started over a decade ago, before, again, we even got involved in politics. I mean, again, I take that as a great honor, right?
“I mean, we’ve got two very prominent projects, and the guy asked to meet me because he has never met me. And so, I don’t know, I think — I think that probably indicates that there’s a pretty damn big wall, right there.”
Collins closed the interview. “Eric Trump, thank you for your time tonight. The new book is Under Siege: My Family’s Fight to Save Our Nation. Really appreciate you coming on the show.”
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OMG american liberty you sound like msnbc or cnn as you said it was a brief exchange he asked if he can meet Eric and President Trump said he will have him call you. Just because he talks to his son doesn’t mean he involved in the business. you just put that out there like there is corruption in the back ground. Is this just to get someone like to to respond? to sell more advertising? what? Don’t you think there are enough idiots out there pushing this BS.
These media net works crap out anything to start BS
How much separation was there between SloJoe and Crack Hunter’$ Buri$ma?