Donald Trump Jr. Marries Bettina Anderson in Secret Ceremony, President Absent

Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump, has officially married Florida socialite Bettina Anderson in a private legal ceremony. The couple tied the knot on Thursday, May 21, in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to a marriage certificate filed with Palm Beach County.

The wedding celebration is set to take place on a small private island in the Bahamas over the Memorial Day weekend. The guest list has been intentionally kept to fewer than 50 people, including only immediate family and the couple’s closest friends.

President Donald Trump will not be attending his son’s wedding celebrations. The president announced his decision on Truth Social on Friday, citing his responsibilities in Washington. “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,” Trump wrote.

He added, “I feel it is important for me to remain in Washington, D.C., at the White House during this important period of time. Congratulations to Don and Bettina!”.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office the day before his announcement, the president explained the difficult timing. “He’d like me to go, but it’s going to be just a small little private affair, and I’m going to try and make it,” Trump said. “This is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran and other things”.

The president also acknowledged the media scrutiny surrounding his decision. “That’s one I can’t win on. If I do attend, I get killed. If I don’t attend, I get killed,” he said, referring to the coverage he expected from what he called “the fake news”.

The couple had initially hoped to keep all wedding details private. Sources told CNN that Trump was long expected not to attend, partly because the couple desperately wanted an incredibly private and secluded ceremony free from the security complications that accompany a presidential visit.

Trump Jr.’s siblings, Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, are expected to attend the Bahamas celebration with their spouses. The groom’s five children from his previous marriage to Vanessa Trump may also be present.

A larger celebration is being planned for the fall at the White House, according to Christine Schott, a representative for the bride. “They are going to have a bigger celebration in the fall at the White House, or sometime, whenever it’s appropriate,” Schott said. “It’ll be when the president can hopefully attend”.

This is the second marriage for Donald Trump Jr., 48, who was previously married to Vanessa Trump for 12 years before their divorce in 2018. It is the first marriage for Bettina Anderson, 39, a Palm Beach socialite and Columbia University graduate.

Anderson will take the Trump name, according to her representative, who clarified that reports suggesting otherwise were false. The bride’s bridal shower was held last month at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.