Putin and Umar Kremlev

Donald Trump Jr and his wife have confirmed that a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin paid for two nights of celebrations following their wedding — describing it as an “extraordinarily generous wedding gift”.

The admission came after US publication ProPublica reported that Umar Kremlev had “footed the bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars of wedding expenses”. The revelation has put a fresh spotlight on the couple’s lavish Bahamas celebrations and Kremlev’s links to the Russian president.

Trump Jr married socialite Bettina Trump, formerly Anderson, in May. The celebrations unfolded across two private islands in the Bahamas, although the couple now insists the weekend was not originally intended to be their wedding celebration.

Mrs Trump addressed the controversy on Instagram on Monday. She said the pair had married privately on a Friday, surrounded “ONLY by our family”, before joining friends for a weekend that had already been planned.

“When our original wedding plans changed, we simply decided to get married before it and arrived at an already planned weekend as newlyweds,” she wrote.

She said their friend Umar had “very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations” after the wedding. The couple described the payment as an “extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend” and said they remained “incredibly grateful”.

But the explanation has done little to remove the political controversy surrounding the identity of their benefactor.

Mrs Trump hit back at suggestions that the gift carried a political motive. She argued that friendship did not require a political agenda and that generosity did not automatically come with an ulterior motive.

The statement was signed “Don and Bettina” and accompanied by 20 photographs from the celebrations.

Kremlev is a significant figure in Russian sport and international boxing. He became president of the International Boxing Association in 2020.

Just weeks before the Trump wedding, he was photographed alongside Putin in Moscow as the Russian president presented him with an Order of Friendship. That connection has intensified interest in Kremlev’s role in the wedding weekend.

ProPublica noted that Kremlev barely appeared in social media posts shared by people attending the celebrations at the time. His press office told the publication that he and Trump Jr “have a friendly relationship” and first met “a couple of years ago”.

The relationship has now become part of a wider story surrounding the Trump family and its connections to wealthy international figures.

Trump Jr’s father, Donald Trump, did not attend his son’s wedding. However, several other prominent members of the family were there.

His sister Ivanka Trump attended alongside her husband Jared Kushner, who serves as a senior adviser in his father-in-law’s administration. Eric Trump, a vice president of The Trump Organisation, also attended.

For the newlyweds, the message is clear: the weekend was a private celebration with friends, and the money was a gift.

But the identity of the man who paid for it — a Russian sports boss recently honoured by Putin — ensures the controversy is unlikely to disappear quietly.

Putin ally paid for Trump Jr's wedding celebrations as 'extraordinarily generous gift'

Even though this incredibly corrupt creep could have easily afforded to pay for his wedding from illegally acquired profits through presidential family corruption, he still accepted money from a Russian oligarch knowing how poor this would look and knowing how this would translate. This is the very embodiment of Trump family arrogance, as they just don't care. They are tone deaf to point of being completely out of touch with the average American and this kind of thing is really going to hurt them in the midterms.

They just don't get it they never have and they never will. So be it. Fortunately we won't be having to deal with these reptilian sewer trash creeps very much longer.

Father like son, just cannot help themselves, All about the con and grifting peopel and what is in it for them.

One wonders if this wasn't actually the reason why the President stayed away; not out of choice but because of official advice.

The newspapers note she is a daughter of Jeffry Epstein’s banker. Who introduced them?

1 hour ago, Roadsternut said:

One wonders if this wasn't actually the reason why the President stayed away; not out of choice but because of official advice.

He's grifting from everybody and everywhere, do you really think he cares?

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

They just don't get it they never have and they never will. So be it. Fortunately we won't be having to deal with these reptilian sewer trash creeps very much longer.

There's always Donald Jr, Eric and Barron still to come the Trump dynasty could yet live on.

Fortunately I won't be around to see it.

What kind of man will risk having a dubious

Putin enforcer pay for part of his daughter's wedding ?

12 minutes ago, Jim Blue said:

What kind of man will risk having a dubious

Putin enforcer pay for part of his daughter's wedding ?

A President of the United States revered by millions thousands despised by trillions.

3 hours ago, JT25 said:

Father like son, just cannot help themselves, All about the con and grifting peopel and what is in it for them.

Are we still talking about Trump and son or Biden and son Hunter ?

25 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Are we still talking about Trump and son or Biden and son Hunter ?

We were until you had to insert a pointless reference to an ex president!

This time it really is Russia, Russia,Russia , and the Trumps are benefiting from

Putin ,who remember was an KGB agent ,he knows how to turn people to his

benefit, this corruption was done in the open ,in full view ,so what is going on

that we don't hear about. Krasnov ere I mean Trump will say he knows nothing

about it....

regards worgeordie

4 hours ago, Bannoi said:

There's always Donald Jr, Eric and Barron still to come the Trump dynasty could yet live on.

Fortunately I won't be around to see it.

You may call me an optimist who believes in the cause of humanity, but I believe that the Trump Dynasty is on its way out, and after the midterms will have significantly less influence and will be spurned by many.