MSNBC’s Jen Psaki has raised questions about Eric Trump’s recent trip to China with his father, President Donald Trump. In a clip shared on X, Psaki talked about Eric’s role in the trip and his ties to a company called ALT5 Sigma, which has a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese chipmaker to build AI data centers.
According to Mediaite, Eric Trump responded by threatening to sue MSNBC and Psaki, accusing them of pushing “blatant lies.” In a statement on X, he denied any connection to ALT5 Sigma, saying he has “NEVER been on the board of ALT5, not now, not ever.” He also said he has “zero involvement” in any merger discussions involving public entities he doesn’t control and has “zero business interests in China.”
Psaki’s comments were based on a Financial Times report about Eric’s connection to ALT5 Sigma. The company has a deal with a Chinese chipmaker that American lawmakers have warned is connected to the ruling Communist Party. Eric had joined his father on the trip to Beijing, where he was seen visiting the Great Wall of China with his wife, Lara.
Eric Trump’s denial comes as his family’s business dealings face growing scrutiny
In the clip, Psaki read from the Financial Times report, saying that Eric Trump is on the board of ALT5 Sigma and was seen ringing the opening bell at the NASDAQ with the company’s logo behind him. She also pointed out that while Eric was in China with his father, ALT5 Sigma had a memorandum of understanding to explore a potential deal with a Chinese computer chip manufacturer to build AI data centers and other AI-related projects.
The Trump family has a history of taking legal action against the media. President Trump himself has reached settlements with Paramount and ABC and has several ongoing lawsuits still in progress. Eric’s threat to sue MSNBC is the latest example of this pattern. Trump has also faced criticism over how government contracts are handled under his watch, with costs sometimes ballooning far beyond original estimates.
While Eric Trump has denied any involvement with ALT5 Sigma, the company’s ties to the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial crypto business are well-documented. This has added more fuel to ongoing questions about whether the Trump family’s personal business interests overlap with official government activities.
Last month, Eric was on Fox Business talking about how one of his companies scored a $24 million contract with the Pentagon. Last year, a company partially owned by his brother, Donald Jr., landed a nearly $5 million contract with the U.S. Air Force. These deals have drawn attention from lawmakers who say the line between private business and government influence is becoming increasingly blurred.
Lawmakers have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest surrounding the Trump family’s business dealings for quite some time now. The situation is made more complicated by the fact that the Trump Organization has business opportunities in China, even as trade tensions between the two countries remain high.
Trump has also been under fire for his denial of seeking China’s help on Iran, with critics calling his explanation unusual. Eric Trump has said the company has chosen to avoid China due to tariffs and trade wars, though his presence on the trip to Beijing has led many to question that claim.
The Financial Times report that sparked this entire debate has not been retracted, and MSNBC has not responded publicly to Eric Trump’s lawsuit threat. Whether or not legal action follows, the story has already drawn widespread attention to the Trump family’s overseas business ties at a time when the president is actively engaged in high-stakes diplomatic talks with China. As this controversy continues to unfold, it is still unclear how things will play out in the courts.
Published: May 16, 2026 02:45 pm