Donald Trump Jr. and Richard Grenell deny claims peddled by Democratic Party affiliated media of canceled meeting with Edi Rama

Donald Trump Jr. has publicly refuted a claim spread by a Democratic Party (DP)-affiliated media outlet, suggesting that he had canceled a meeting with Prime Minister Edi Rama. The denial came after Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions Richard Grenell dismissed the story as a total fabrication. Trump Jr. shared Grenell’s statement on X.

Why is this important: The incident highlights the Democratic Party’s increasingly desperate attempts to fabricate narratives of American support for Sali Berisha and U.S. hostility to Edi Rama. It also reveals the risks DP is willing to take — including spreading false claims and involving high-profile U.S. figures — to bolster its failing electoral strategy. The public denial by Trump Jr. has severely undercut DP’s credibility just days before the May 11 elections.

Context: The false story originated from Politiko.al, a portal whose founder is also Director of the Press and Communication department of the Democratic Party. The article claimed that Donald Trump Jr. had initially planned to meet Prime Minister Edi Rama during a visit to Southeast Europe, allegedly at the insistence of Richard Grenell that Politico.al called “an undeclared lobbyist for Rama and almost declared one for Vučić.”

It went on to say that Trump Jr. ‘s travel plans were later changed when individuals close to President Trump’s team objected to including Rama on the agenda, leading to the removal of Tirana from the itinerary.

Richard Grenell immediately refuted the story, calling it “a total lie” and demanding from the publisher that it be corrected and removed. Grenell stressed his respect for Albania as a close U.S. ally and condemned the misuse of American political figures for local partisan battles.

Donald Trump Jr. then publicly supported Grenell’s denial by reposting it on platform X, making it clear that the entire narrative was fabricated.

Rama’s reaction: Campaigning in Petrelë, Prime Minister Rama seized on the incident, ridiculing the Democratic Party’s tactics.

“When you force the family of the American president to intervene and publicly deny your fantasies, you are not doing politics — you are collapsing in shame,” Rama said. He characterized the episode as part of Berisha’s “magical thinking,” accusing the opposition of trying to mislead voters by fabricating foreign endorsements instead of focusing on real policy.

Rama also noted the irony of the situation: despite Berisha’s efforts — including the controversial $6 million lobbying contract in Washington — the only tangible outcome was public embarrassment.

Broader pattern: The Trump Jr. denial is only the latest in a series of missteps by the Democratic Party. For months, Berisha’s circle has pushed the narrative that he enjoys new favor in Washington, while portraying Rama as isolated. This campaign included signing a multimillion-dollar lobbying contract with a firm tied to figures close to Donald Trump.

However, involving the Trump family directly — and provoking a sharp public correction — has exposed the fragility and recklessness of this approach.