Trump Defends Russian Oligarch's Role in Son's Wedding Party
President Trump defended a Russian oligarch's financial backing of his son's wedding party, saying it was permissible and that he was told the money would be repaid.
President Donald Trump on Friday defended the partial bankrolling of his son's recent wedding party by a Russian oligarch, telling reporters in the Oval Office that the arrangement was permissible and that he understood the money would be returned.
"It's totally allowed. And a lot of people have parties and all," Trump said, adding that he had been told his son, Donald Trump Jr., had paid the money back. He repeated that he had heard repayment was made, without offering further detail.
According to reporting this week, Umar Kremlev, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, helped cover the cost of renting a private island and a fireworks display for the May wedding of Donald Trump Jr. and socialite Bettina Anderson in the Bahamas. Kremlev heads the International Boxing Association.
In a post on her Instagram page signed by the couple, Bettina Trump described Kremlev as a "dear friend" who "very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us AFTER our wedding." She said the couple had married in a private ceremony surrounded only by family.
The president, who did not attend the wedding and said at the time that he was too busy, nonetheless defended Kremlev's involvement in the festivities. Without providing specifics, he said his son had received a wedding party from "a person that he knows — I guess a friend of his."
"That's very common," Trump said, adding that he had himself given wedding parties to numerous people. He also appeared to suggest that no background check was conducted for such gifts.
Trump said he had previously asked his son about Kremlev's involvement, recalling a conversation from "a while ago." He quoted his son as saying, "No, I'm paying him back, Dad."
The reporting said the wedding was heavily funded by Kremlev, including hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses such as renting one of two private islands where the three-day party took place.
The gift came as Russia remains at war with Ukraine following its invasion more than four years ago, and as Trump has yet to broker a promised peace deal between the two sides. Kremlev was recently awarded the Order of Friendship by Putin, according to the International Boxing Association, and he accompanied Putin to China as part of a Russian delegation, according to Chinese state media cited in the reporting.