Financial support from Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev for Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration confirmed

Donald Trump Jr., son of U.S. President Donald Trump, and Bettina Trump have confirmed that a portion of their wedding celebrations held in May was funded by Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev.

In a statement shared on Bettina Trump’s social media account with the couple’s joint signature, it was stated that Kremlev is a “close friend” of theirs. The statement noted that Kremlev hosted two nights of celebrations held after the wedding.

The couple described the support as an “extraordinarily generous wedding gift,” adding, “We were grateful for it then, and we are grateful for it today.”

The statement further read, “Friendship does not require political motivation. Generosity does not automatically carry an agenda. Sometimes a wedding gift is just a wedding gift.”

Meanwhile, the non-profit investigative journalism organization ProPublica alleged in a report published the same day that Kremlev covered hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses for the three-day celebration.

Umar Kremlev, who is the president of the International Boxing Association (IBA), is known for his closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kremlev was recently awarded the “Order of Friendship” by Putin.

Donald Trump Jr. has previously made headlines due to his Russia connections. His meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower during the 2016 presidential election was one of the focal points of federal and congressional investigations examining whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia’s attempts to interfere in the election.

News Source: 12punto