US President Donald Trump said that his son, Donald Trump Jr., will return money to Russian businessman Umar Kremlev, who paid for part of the post-wedding celebrations following Trump Jr.’s wedding in the Bahamas in May. The expenses for two post-wedding parties reportedly amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Speaking to reporters, Trump was asked whether it was appropriate for his son to accept payment for part of the wedding celebrations as a gift. The president replied:
“It is completely allowed”
Donald Trump, President of the United States
At the same time, he said that Donald Trump Jr. had told him of his intention to return the money.
“When I heard this story, I asked about it. He said, ‘No, Dad, I’m returning the money.’ And that was some time ago. So I heard that he paid it back”
Donald Trump, President of the United States
Trump provided no evidence that the money had been returned and did not specify whether the full amount had already been repaid, to whom it was transferred, or when this occurred. The president also said that Kremlev knows his son and compared the situation to wedding parties he himself had hosted for other people.
Payment for the parties and a congressional investigation
Umar Kremlev is a Russian businessman and president of the International Boxing Association. It was previously reported that he has ties to the Russian government.
Earlier, ProPublica reported that Kremlev paid for two post-wedding parties for Donald Trump Jr. Trump Jr.’s wife called him a friend who gave:
“An extraordinarily generous wedding gift”
Donald Trump Jr.’s wife
Democrats in the US Congress launched an investigation into the financing of the celebrations.
Previous contacts with Russian businessmen
Donald Trump Jr. had previously had contacts with Russian businessmen. In 2013–2014, he negotiated with the company of Russian businessman Aras Agalarov over the construction of Trump Tower in Moscow.
In 2016, Trump Jr. met with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who offered to provide compromising information on Hillary Clinton. The US Senate Intelligence Committee found that Trump Jr. wanted to obtain such information, but found no evidence that it was actually provided at the meeting.
