Washington, United States. US President Donald Trump said on Friday he will not attend the wedding of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, to Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson, citing government business that requires him to stay in Washington.
Trump’s announcement
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that circumstances related to government prevented him from attending the wedding. “While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr, and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon to be wife, Bettina, circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so,” he wrote.
“I feel it is important for me to remain in Washington, DC, at the White House during this important period of time,” the post continued.
Wedding details and earlier comments
The wedding is set to take place this weekend on a small island in the Bahamas, CNN reported on Thursday, citing two people familiar with the plans. A spokesperson for Trump Jr did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump told reporters on Thursday that Trump Jr wanted his father to attend, but that it was going to be a “small private affair.” Trump said he would try to make the wedding, but added that the timing was bad for him. “I have a thing called Iran and other things,” Trump said on Thursday.
Diplomatic talks and schedule change
The Trump administration has been engaged in diplomatic talks mediated by Pakistan aimed at securing a deal to end the war with Iran that the US and Israel began on February 28.
Trump had originally planned to spend the night at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Friday after an event in New York’s Hudson Valley, but he will now return to the White House, according to a change in his public schedule released on Friday afternoon.
Trump Jr’s relationship history
Trump Jr’s engagement to Anderson is his third. He was married to his previous wife, Vanessa, a former model and actress, for 12 years, and they have five children together. Vanessa filed for a divorce in 2018. He was later engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle, a US television personality, until they separated in 2024.
What factors did Trump cite for staying in Washington instead of attending the wedding?