Trump Jr. To Testify Before Senate Panel Probing Russian Election Influence

Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower in New York (file photo)

U.S. President Donald Trump's eldest son will testify privately before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 7 as it investigates allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Donald Trump Jr. was invited to testify in public in July, but reached an agreement instead to speak privately with committee staff.

"We look forward to a professional and productive meeting and appreciate the opportunity to assist the committee," Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for Trump Jr., said on September 6.

The focus of the meeting is likely to be a June 9, 2016, meeting Trump Jr. held in New York's Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer, a Russian lobbyist who was a formerly a Soviet military officer, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Trump Jr. released e-mails showing he agreed to the meeting after being told he would receive information that was damaging to Trump's rival Hillary Clinton

The meeting has been a focus of the Judiciary and other congressional committees that are investigating alleged Russian efforts to influence the election. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied interfering in the election.

Trump Jr. is also expected to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee later this year.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters