U.S. Department of Justice
Attorney Work Product // May Contain Material Protected Under Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e)
her what the meeting had been about, and she said that she had been told the meeting was about Russian adoption.[1] The President responded, "then just say that."[2]
On the flight home from the G20 on July 8, 2017, Hicks obtained a draft statement about the meeting to be released by Trump Jr. and brought it to the President.[3] The draft statement began with a reference to the information that was offered by the Russians in setting up the meeting: "I was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance I knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign."[4] Hicks again wanted to disclose the entire story, but the President directed that the statement not be issued because it said too much.[5] The President told Hicks to say only that Trump Jr. took a brief meeting and it was about Russian adoption.[6] After speaking with the President, Hicks texted Trump Jr. a revised statement on the June 9 meeting that read:
It was a short meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at that time and there was no follow up.[7]
Hicks's text concluded, "Are you ok with this? Attributed to you."[8] Trump Jr. responded by text message that he wanted to add the word "primarily" before "discussed" so that the statement would read, "We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children."[9] Trump Jr. texted that he wanted the change because "[t]hey started with some Hillary thing which was bs and some other nonsense which we shot down fast."[10] Hicks texted back, "I think that's right too but boss man worried it invites a lot of questions[.] [U]ltimately [d]efer to you and [your attorney] on that word Bc I know it's important and I think the mention of a campaign issue adds something to it in case we have to go further."[11] Trump Jr. responded, "If I don't have it in there it appears as though I'm lying later when they inevitably leak something."[12] Trump Jr.'s statement—adding
- ↑ Hicks 3/13/18 302, at 3; Hicks 12/7/17 302, at 10.
- ↑ Hicks 3/13/18 302, at 3; see Hicks 12/7/17 302, at 10.
- ↑ Hicks 3/13/18 302, at 4.
- ↑ Hicks 7/8/17 Notes.
- ↑ Hicks 3/13/18 302, at 4–5; Hicks 12/7/17 302, at 11.
- ↑ Hicks 12/7/17 302, at 11.
- ↑ SCR011a_000004 (7/8/17 Text Message, Hicks to Trump Jr.).
- ↑ SCR011a_000004 (7/8/17 Text Message, Hicks to Trump Jr.).
- ↑ SCR011a_000005 (7/8/17 Text Message, Trump Jr. to Hicks).
- ↑ SCR011a_000005 (7/8/17 Text Message, Trump Jr. to Hicks).
- ↑ SCR011a_000005 (7/8/17 Text Message, Hicks to Trump Jr.).
- ↑ SCR011a_000006 (7/8/17 Text Message, Trump Jr. to Hicks).
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