Eric Trump is under fire after tagging along on President Donald Trump’s high-stakes trip to China — with critics now calling the visit a potential “national security scandal” tied to the Trump family’s growing business interests overseas.
The president’s second-oldest son sparked outrage after posting smiling selfies from the trip alongside wife Lara Trump, while political commentators and ethics watchdogs questioned why a private citizen with ties to crypto ventures and foreign business deals was accompanying the commander-in-chief on an official diplomatic mission.
“Eric Trump’s presence in China should not be treated as a footnote,” political writer Julie Roginsky wrote in a blistering Substack post. “It should be treated as an ethical and national security scandal.”
The controversy exploded after reports surfaced that Alt5 Sigma — a company linked to the Trump family’s expanding crypto empire — was allegedly pursuing business opportunities connected to Chinese tech interests during the same time Eric was traveling with the president in Beijing.
According to Roginsky, the company recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Nano, a Chinese chipmaker, to explore artificial intelligence projects including U.S.-based data centers, AI cloud platforms, and digital payment systems. Eric Trump reportedly holds an observer role on Alt5’s board.
The deal has raised fresh concerns among critics who accuse the Trump family of blurring the line between public office and private profit.
Roginsky described the situation as a “collision of public power and private interest,” warning the arrangement could “massively enrich the family of the president of the United States.”
She also claimed the story involves “foreign intelligence assets, Chinese influence, and Middle Eastern money” — accusations that have fueled even more backlash online.
The White House and Trump representatives pushed back against the criticism, insisting Eric was traveling in a “personal capacity” and would not be participating in any private government meetings.
“He will not be participating in private meetings, but will instead stand alongside the president to mark this historic occasion,” a spokesperson said.
That explanation did little to calm critics on social media after Eric proudly documented the trip online.
“Quick Refuel — Alaska,” Eric posted on X while sharing a photo of Air Force One and another smiling selfie with Lara Trump during the journey.
The posts immediately triggered a flood of angry responses.
“What are you doing on this trip?” one critic asked. “You have no business being there.”
Another wrote: “Glad you two are having fun on our dime.”
Others questioned whether presidents should be bringing family members on official overseas visits at all.
“What are you doing there? Do you work for the government?” another user demanded.
Eric wasn’t the only wealthy figure raising eyebrows during the China visit. Billionaire Elon Musk also accompanied Trump and was photographed attending a lavish state dinner hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Several powerful CEOs joined the delegation as well, including Tim Cook of Apple Inc., Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone Inc., and Jensen Huang of NVIDIA.
President Donald Trump defended the billionaire-heavy trip on Truth Social, saying the business leaders were there to encourage China to “open up” economically and create new opportunities.
Still, critics say the optics of Trump family members and billionaire allies mixing diplomacy with business interests overseas are only adding fuel to an already explosive political firestorm.
Discover more from Next Gen News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Eric Trump just one of 20 top businesspeople that went along… can’t be penalized for being related to a president and merely doing real business…