Donald Trump Jr met with Kremlin-linked lawyer during presidential campaign

US President Donald Trump’s son Donald Jr has admitted he met with a Russian lawyer linked to the country’s government during the 2016 election campaign.

Trump Jr was quoted in The New York Times as saying he agreed to meet Natalia Veselnitskaya after being promised damaging information on his father’s election rival, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

The former reality television star’s administration has been dogged by allegations of collusion with Russia during the campaign.

“After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms Clinton,” the Times quoted Donald Jr as saying.

He insisted that Veselnitskaya had provided "no meaningful information" on his father's rival for the presidency, though it was also revealed that the meeting was also attended by the presidential campaign leader at the time, Paul J Manafort, and his successor, Jared Kushner, Trump Snr's son-in-law.

The President’s legal team said he was not aware of the meeting having taken place.