President Donald Trump has returned his eldest son’s wedding RSVP with only a day’s notice, announcing to Truth Social that he will not attend.
Trump, 79, officially snubbed Donald Trump Jr. in a Friday afternoon post—then quickly changed his weekend schedule to show he was no longer planning on golfing in New Jersey as his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., says “I do.”
“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 claimed. “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!”
A public schedule for the president initially said he intended to spend the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey—more than 200 miles away from the White House. However, Axios reported shortly after Trump’s announcement that he will now spend the holiday weekend in Washington.
Don Jr. and Bettina Anderson, who began dating after the younger Trump dumped Kimberly Guilfoyle in late 2024, will tie the knot on a private island in the Bahamas on Saturday in front of a small group of family and friends.
Reports have not pinpointed exactly where in the Bahamas the younger Trump, 48, and Anderson, 39, will have their ceremony.
Some Bahamian islands, including Bimini, are less than 100 miles from Mar-a-Lago, where Trump spent time as recently as the first weekend of May.
Sprung with a question about the wedding in the Oval Office on Thursday, the president hinted that he could not make the trip because of the war with Iran.
“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, I’m in the midst—,” Trump said before cutting himself off. “I said, ‘You know, this is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran and other things.’”
He continued, “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, I’m talking about. But he’s uh, [with] a person I’ve known for a long time and hopefully they’re gonna have a great marriage.”
There will be fewer than 50 guests at Saturday’s ceremony, according to multiple reports. Sources tell CNN that among the guests will be all of Trump’s children: Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Barron Trump. It is unclear whether first lady Melania Trump will attend.
The elder Trump attended Don Jr.’s first wedding when he tied the knot with Vanessa Trump, a former model and heiress, in a Mar-a-Lago ceremony in 2005.
He shares five children with her: Kai Trump, 19; Donald J. Trump III (Donny), 17; Tristan Trump, 14; Spencer Trump, 13; and Chloe Sophia Trump, 11.
