Trump Claims Don Jr. Paid Back Russian Oligarch Who Shelled Out Hundreds of Thousands on His Wedding Party — Following Intense Backlash
Donald Trump defended his son, Donald Jr.
Sept. 22 2026, Published 3:47 p.m. ET
A Russian oligarch who allegedly has ties to Vladimir Putin helped fund Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding festivities with wife Bettina Anderson in the Bahamas.
When asked about the appropriateness of his eldest son accepting the gift from Russian businessman Umar Kremlev, President Donald Trump claimed that the money had been – or would be – paid back, RadarOnline can report.
'Don's Paying Them Back'
Donald Trump said he was under the impression the money had been paid back.
On September 18, Trump told the press at the Oval Office, "As I understand it, he (Don Jr.) paid him back," then he appeared to amend his statement as he added, "I understand that Don’s paying them back."
He also claimed the situation was "totally allowed."
As RadarOnline previously reported, ProPublica exclusively uncovered details of Don Jr. and Anderson’s three-day Bahamas wedding celebrations, including Kremlev paying to rent a private island used for the reception and covering the cost of a fireworks display. The outlet reported that Kremlev spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on expenses tied to the celebrations.
Donald Trump Jr. 'Incredibly Grateful' for the Gift
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson's wedding festivities took place in the Bahamas.
The wedding ceremony itself was separate from the celebrations Kremlev helped fund. Anderson and Don Jr. previously said Kremlev “very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us AFTER our wedding,” per the The New York Times.
The couple described the contribution as “an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend, and something for which we were and remain incredibly grateful.”
Trump continued to defend the arrangement, despite noting that his son had decided to return the money, USA Today reported.
“That’s very common; I’ve heard of many people giving wedding parties,” the POTUS claimed. “With all of that being said, I understand that Don has paid him back.”
Trump Was Not at His Son's Wedding
Donald Trump said Don Jr. would have liked him to attend his wedding.
As Radar previously reported, Trump did not attend the wedding.
"He'd like me to go," the president explained at the time. "I said, 'You know this is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran and other things' ... That's one I can't win on. If I do attend, I get killed. If I don't attend, I get killed – by the fake news, of course."
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Don Jr. is friends with Umar Kremlev.
Reuters reported that a person familiar with the situation confirmed Don Jr. planned to reimburse Kremlev, although the reporting did not establish that the repayment had been completed.
Kremlev, who heads the International Boxing Association, has been reported to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. ProPublica reported that Putin awarded Kremlev the Order of Friendship in April.
The wedding payments have also drawn scrutiny in Washington. Democrats in Congress called for an investigation into the incident and questioned the financial relationship between the Russian businessman and the president’s eldest son.
