Donald Trump’s Wealthy Friends Attended Top-Level National Security Council Meetings: Report

Two businessmen with ties to Donald Trump attended national security meetings at the White House.

Two Trump-connected businessmen attended White House meetings in February as part of an effort to persuade U.S. officials to remove sanctions against Venezuela.

The news was first reported by Mic, who identified the two men as Gentry Beach and Wadie Habboush.

According to the report, the two men went to the White House to meet with National Security Council officials on February 8 to discuss how to expand relations with Venezuela.

Gentry Beach has close ties to the Trump family. According to Mic, he is the godfather of Donald Trump Jr.’s son and raised money for Trump’s presidential campaign.

And the day after the National Security Council meeting, “Habboush returned to the White House and presented the plan directly to White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, the two sources said.”

Mic also reported that “Government ethics lawyers and policymakers who served in recent Democratic and Republican administrations say meetings between White House national security officials and campaign fundraisers over foreign policy violate NSC protocol and raise serious ethical concerns.”