Donald Trump Jr.'s wife, Bettina Trump, has confirmed that two nights of their three-day wedding festivities in the Bahamas were partially funded by Umar Kremlev, an oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The statement, released on Instagram by the couple, addressed a ProPublica report detailing that Kremlev paid "hundreds of thousands of dollars" for the celebration.
"Our dear friend Umar very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us AFTER our wedding," the couple stated. "It was an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend, and something for which we were and remain incredibly grateful."
While it is not illegal for Donald Trump Jr., as a private citizen, to accept gifts from a foreign national, ethics watchdog groups have raised concerns about the appearance of a conflict of interest. Jordan Libowitz, vice president of communications for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), commented, "People don't just give hundreds of thousands of dollars to a random acquaintance without wanting something." He added, "You can see how [Putin] would enjoy all this press about how people in his circle are cozying up to people in the president's circle."
According to the ProPublica article, the festivities took place on a separate island from the wedding and included costs such as accommodation, which rents for approximately $100,000 per night, and a fireworks display costing around $70,000.
Kremlev leads the International Boxing Association (IBA), an organization funded by the state-backed Gazprom energy company. The IBA's suspension by the Olympic Committee was partly due to its failure to disclose its ties to the Russian energy giant. Kremlev has also been recognized by Putin with the Order of Friendship, a high state honor.
A spokesperson for Trump Jr. told ProPublica that Trump Jr. and Kremlev have a personal friendship and no business relationship. Kremlev's office also stated to the outlet that their relationship is friendly, with the men having met a few years prior. Kremlev reportedly attended part of the wedding, which was also attended by Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner.