ProPublica said the Donald Trump Jr. Bettina Trump wedding celebration in the Bahamas was paid for by Umar Kremlev. Bettina Anderson said the couple married privately on Friday, surrounded only by family, and described two nights of celebrations as a generous gift from a friend.
Bettina Anderson in Instagram
Anderson wrote that the ceremony was “intimate, deeply personal and one of the most beautiful days of our lives.” She also said, “Our dear friend Umar very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us AFTER our wedding.”
She added that the events were “an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend, and something for which we were and remain incredibly grateful.” In the same post, she wrote, “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.”
Umar Kremlev and IBA
Kremlev heads the International Boxing Association, and ProPublica said its investigation found the wedding was paid for by an IBA-affiliated entity in Dubai. The reporting said Kremlev is described as close to Vladimir Putin, and that the International Boxing Association is bankrolled by a Kremlin-linked energy company.
The payment claim gives the wedding a wider public interest beyond a family celebration. It ties a private event to a Russian businessman with an organizational and financial trail that the reporting links to the Kremlin.
Frank Montoya Jr.
Frank Montoya Jr. said, “If I’m paying for your wedding, at some point, you’re going to owe me something.” He added, “This should be unthinkable for the son of the president. End of story.”
Donald Trump Jr. was previously married to Vanessa Trump, and they have two children, Kai and Donald Trump III. The next issue for readers is the evidence behind the payment finding: ProPublica said the money came through an IBA-affiliated entity in Dubai, while Anderson described the celebrations as a friend’s wedding gift.
