Donald Trump Jr.’s hunting trip to Mongolia last August cost more than $75,000 in taxpayer dollars for Secret Service protection, according to new documents obtained by a government watchdog group.
The documents obtained by the nonprofit group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) showed the receipt for Secret Service protection for President Trump’s eldest son totaled $76,859.36.
Trump Jr. was in Mongolia in part to hunt the argali sheep, which is known for its large horns and is considered a near-threatened species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
The Hill has reached out to a spokesperson for Trump Jr. for comment.
An official working for Trump Jr. told CNN that with the exception of Secret Service, the trip to Mongolia was paid for by Trump Jr.
Trump Jr. has received criticism in the past for his trips for trophy and “big game” hunting.
During the trip to Mongolia, Trump Jr. reportedly also met with Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga.
“As a son of the president, Donald Trump Jr. is entitled to Secret Service protection and should be protected, but taxpayers deserve to know how much they are paying to facilitate his trophy hunting and interactions with major political donors and foreign leaders,” CREW said in a statement.
The president’s adult children are entitled to Secret Service protection and have come under scrutiny from watchdog groups in the past for personal trips they have taken during which they’ve used the agency for security.