“Can I meet Eric?”: Trump convo on hot mic raises ethical concerns

President Donald Trump‘s Monday exchange with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is raising new questions about the blurred line between Trump’s public duties and his family business interests.

After delivering remarks at a Gaza-focused summit in Egypt, Trump was caught chatting with Prabowo on a live mic. “Can I meet Eric?” the Indonesian leader asked, referring to Eric Trump, the president’s son and an executive vice president of the Trump Organization.

“I’ll have Eric call. Should I do that? He’s such a good boy. I’ll have Eric call you,” Trump replied.

The two appeared unaware that their conversation was being recorded and broadcast. Before mentioning Eric Trump, Prabowo could be heard referring to a region that is “not safe, security-wise.” A few moments later, after Trump repeated that he would have his son reach out.

Trump’s conversation with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is caught on a hot mic. Hard to tell exactly what they are talking about, but Subianto asks Trump about meeting Eric Trump and Don Jr, who supposedly have nothing to do with government while they run the family… pic.twitter.com/HiBL0ZWKPp

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 13, 2025

While the particulars of Trump and Prabowo’s conversation are unknown, the timing drew attention. Earlier this month, Eric Trump promoted Trump International Lido, a luxury golf resort in Indonesia, calling it “an unrivaled golf experience set against the most majestic mountains and backdrop in Indonesia” in a social media post. The Trump Organization website lists a second “hotel and golf” property in Bali as “coming soon.”

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Ethics experts immediately raised questions about the back-and-forth.

“President Trump was just caught on a hot mic talking with the president of Indonesia,” the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington wrote on X. “He may have been talking about his business interests in the country, which would be exactly the kind of conflict of interest we’ve been warning about for years.”