Donald Jr. and Bettina Trump have responded to reports that a Russian oligarch funded hundreds of thousands of dollars for their wedding party in the Bahamas. The couple stated that the event was a generous gift from a friend following their private wedding.
Bettina Trump explained on Instagram that she and Donald Jr. were married privately on a Friday, surrounded by family. The following weekend's events, she clarified, had been planned in advance as a celebration with friends and were not originally intended as part of their wedding festivities. "When our original wedding plans changed, we simply decided to get married before it and arrived at an already planned weekend as newlyweds," she wrote.
She further stated that "Our dear friend Umar very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us AFTER our wedding. It was an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend, and something for which we were and remain incredibly grateful."
Bettina Trump expressed disappointment that a personal and happy occasion could be politicized. "Friendship doesn’t require a political motive. Generosity doesn’t automatically come with an agenda. And sometimes a wedding gift is simply a wedding gift," she posted. "We are fortunate to have wonderful friends from all over the world, and we will never be embarrassed or apologetic about being grateful for them."
She concluded by addressing the rumors directly: "So, for anyone determined not to let the facts get in the way of a good story: NO CONSPIRACY, NO MYSTERY. Just a private family wedding, a wonderful weekend with friends and one hell of a party."
Donald Trump Jr.'s siblings, Eric and Ivanka Trump, also attended the celebrations in the Bahamas. The marriage certificate, obtained by the Daily Mail, confirms the couple officially married at the West Palm Beach home of Bettina Anderson's sister, Kristina McPherson. Anderson indicated she would be adopting the Trump surname.