Donald Trump Jr. Repays Russian Oligarch After Wedding Party Controversy

Donald Trump Jr. has repaid a Russian oligarch who reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a lavish wedding party in the Bahamas, President Donald Trump confirmed Friday.

"I hear he paid him back. I understand that Don paid him back," the President told reporters at the White House. He added that such arrangements were "totally allowed" and "very common."

Umar Kremlev, described as a Russian oligarch and international boxing figure, reportedly funded celebrations surrounding Trump Jr.'s May wedding. These events included the rental of a private island and a fireworks display. The celebrations were attended by other Trump children, including Ivanka and Eric, along with their spouses.

The reports, initially published by ProPublica, drew criticism and accusations of corruption from Democrats, as well as unease from some Republicans. Senator John Curtis of Utah stated, "To me it just stinks. It's corruption, I don't like it... this is a big deal."

A source familiar with the situation confirmed to the Daily Mail that Trump Jr. paid Kremlev back for the party after the news broke.

Kremlev's press office told ProPublica that he and Trump Jr. became friends through shared interests in boxing, hunting, and the outdoors. Initially, Trump Jr. and his wife, Bettina Anderson, defended accepting the financial support, calling Kremlev a "dear friend" who offered them "an extraordinarily generous wedding gift." Bettina Trump also disputed the notion that accepting financial support from a Russian national was inappropriate, stating, "It’s unfortunate that something so personal and happy can be recast as something political or sinister simply because of who someone is or where they come from."

However, other members of the Trump family publicly distanced themselves from Kremlev. A spokesperson for First Lady Melania Trump stated, "Mrs. Trump does not, and has never had, a relationship with Mr. Kremlev. Mrs. Trump played no role whatsoever in organizing the wedding event and was not privy to any aspect of its financial planning."

Eric Trump's spokesman told ProPublica that Eric "has absolutely no clue who this person is, nor has never heard his name."

President Trump said he spoke with his son about the controversy after the initial reports emerged.