Recent press reports have suggested Donald Trump Jr illegally or preferentially obtained a Mongolian government hunting license for shooting the endangered Argali mountain sheep. Fake news?

The following is the Mongolian Government’s version of events:

“Due to such factually inaccurate coverage the public and numerous green NGOs have been rightfully raising serious questions and demanding explanations.

Mr. Trump was in fact participating in an important aspect of the Mongolian Government’s conservation programme for the endangered Argali Sheep, which were in 2003 on the verge of extinction and which now are beginning to thrive in Mongolia.

A limited number of Argali hunting licenses are sold each year to local Mongolian hunting companies and then in turn purchased by international hunting outfitters. These Argali licenses and hunting trips are an important component of the Mongolian Government’s successful conservation of endangered species program.  These few and expensive licenses provide income to manage the Argali conservation programme, which includes 12.7 million hectares of protected lands, plus provide income for the local population (“The Gulzat Initiative”). The programme has the local population’s support and their assistance in protecting the Argali Sheep and their habitat.  In this activities are participated national NGOs as Association of Gulzat communities, Nomads of Altai, Society of Wild sheep conservation of Mongolia, Wildlife right protection fund, Mongolian wildlife game management association, Mongolian Hunting Association  etc.

An international outfitter purchased the license in January 2019 from the local Mongolian hunting company. The Mongolian Government had no prior knowledge that license had been sold in January 2019 or that Mr. Trump was involved until the hunting trip was in process.  Once the Mongolian Government was informed that Mr. Trump was to visit Mongolia, it worked, normally as expected, with the U.S. Embassy to meet required security procedures.

The Mongolian Government was pleased Mr. Trump visited Mongolia and trusts he will continue to support this important conservation programme.”