President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that his son, Donald Trump Jr., has reimbursed a Russian oligarch for expenses related to his May wedding festivities in the Bahamas.
The reimbursement follows reports that Umar Kremlev, president of the International Boxing Association and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, helped fund the celebrations, including a private island rental and fireworks display. The events were attended by multiple members of the Trump family, including Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Michael Boulos.
Trump Jr. initially defended the arrangement, calling Kremlev a "dear friend" who provided an "extraordinarily generous wedding gift." However, the revelation of Kremlev’s ties to the Russian government prompted the reimbursement, according to reporting from ProPublica.
President Trump stated that his son informed him of the repayment during a White House event on Friday. "I hear he paid him back. I understand that Don paid him back," Trump told reporters. He added that he had spoken with Trump Jr. about the matter after the initial report.
Kremlev’s press office described the relationship with Trump Jr. as based on shared interests in boxing, hunting, and the outdoors. ProPublica reported that Kremlev has close ties to the Russian government, a claim not addressed by Kremlev’s representatives.
The reimbursement comes amid a congressional investigation launched by Democrats into the reported financial involvement of a foreign national in a U.S. citizen’s wedding celebrations. The inquiry follows ProPublica’s disclosure of Kremlev’s role in funding the events.
Trump Jr. and his wife, Bettina Anderson, were married on May 12 in a ceremony held in the Bahamas. The festivities included a private island venue and guest accommodations, with Kremlev covering "hundreds of thousands of dollars" in costs, according to ProPublica.
The White House has not commented further on the reimbursement or the congressional investigation. Trump Jr.’s representatives have not responded to requests for confirmation of the payment.