The U.S. president’s son could be prosecuted for three crimes: hunting without a license, exceeding hunting limits, and killing a protected species.

Donald Trump Jr., the son of U.S. President Donald Trump, is at the center of a growing scandal in Italy, where he is being accused of illegally hunting protected birds during a trip to Venice.

The case, which has sparked outrage among environmentalists and politicians, is set to be brought before the Italian parliament, potentially escalating into an international political dispute.

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The allegations stem from a video published by the hunting lifestyle company Field Ethos, which shows Trump Jr. participating in a duck hunt in the Venice lagoon, a protected conservation area.

In the footage, Trump Jr. is seen shooting at waterfowl and later addressing the camera while surrounded by dead birds, including a rare Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferrugginea). This species is protected under both the E.U. Birds Directive and Italian law, making its killing a criminal offense.

Pictures of Donald Trump Jr. with a cut-off elephant tail (left) and with his brother Eric holding a dead leopard. Credit: public domain

The video was brought to light by Andrea Zanoni, a regional councilor for Europa Verde in the Veneto Region. Zanoni has filed a criminal complaint with Italy’s forest police, accusing Trump Jr. of three violations: hunting without a license, exceeding hunting limits, and killing a protected species.

"Only residents of an Italian region can hunt in Italy because they must have a hunting license, which by law is issued by the region where the hunter lives," Zanoni explained for media.

He emphasized that Trump Jr. had no legal right to hunt in the country.

Donald Trump Jr. posing with a killed buffalo in Zimbabwe in 2011. Credit: Trump family archives

Zanoni also submitted a formal inquiry to the Regional Council and prepared a report for the judiciary, stating, "Veneto and Italy are not the property of the U.S." The case has drawn significant attention, with local animal rights groups filing complaints against the company that organized Trump Jr.’s hunting expedition.

The incident has reignited criticism of Trump Jr.’s long and controversial hunting history. In 2019, he faced global backlash for killing an endangered Argali sheep in Mongolia, an act that was only permitted after he met with the country’s president. The Argali sheep is considered a national treasure in Mongolia.

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The Venice hunting scandal has now reached the Italian parliament, with lawmakers demanding answers. Luana Zanella, a deputy from the Avs party, has called on Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin to investigate the incident.

"We are submitting an inquiry to Environment Minister Pichetto Fratin to explain what happened, given that the killing of protected species is a crime. Additionally, we ask whether it is true that among the participants was Donald Trump Jr., the son of the U.S. president," Zanella stated.

Neither the White House nor Trump Jr. has commented on the accusations so far.

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