Senator demands Donald Trump Jr publicly explain why he lied about foreign contacts in his testimony

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) believes Donald Trump Jr. may have lied in his testimony last year before the Senate Judiciary Committee -- and he wants the president's son to publicly explain why.

The Delaware Democrat sent a two-page letter Thursday to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the committee chairman, calling on Trump Jr. to return to Congress to testify in public about his foreign contacts during the campaign, reported NBC News.

"I am deeply concerned that, based on new information we learned this week, Donald Trump Jr. provided false testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and I would like to renew my request that he be called to return and appear before the full committee to testify in an open hearing," Coons wrote.

Trump Jr. told the committee in September that he was not "aware" of foreign governments other than Russia offering or providing assistance to his father's presidential campaign, and he denied seeking such help.

However, the New York Times reported last week that Trump Jr. met with George Nader, an emissary for the crown princes of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia; Joel Zamel, an Israeli social media specialist linked to Israeli intelligence and the Emirati royal court; and Erik Prince, a campaign donor and private security contractor with business in the Middle East.

Campaign adviser Stephen Miller joined Trump Jr. at that August 2016 meeting at Trump Tower.

Election law prohibits involvement in U.S. campaigns by foreign governments and nationals, and Coons also pointed out that making false statements to Congress is also illegal.