Donald Trump Says Son Repaid Russian Oligarch for Wedding

President Donald Trump announced that his son, Donald Trump Jr., has reimbursed Russian businessman Umar Kremlev for financing a lavish multi-day wedding after-party in the Bahamas in May. The event included hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses for private island rentals and fireworks. President Trump defended the arrangement as "totally allowed" and "very common," asserting that his son has either paid back or is paying back the funds.

Donald Trump Jr. and his wife, Bettina Trump, described Kremlev as a "dear friend" and characterized the funding as a generous gift. However, the arrangement drew sharp bipartisan criticism. Republican Senator John Curtis labeled the funding as "corruption," while Senator Thom Tillis described the situation as "beyond bad."

Umar Kremlev, the head of the International Boxing Association with close ties to Vladimir Putin, is sanctioned by Ukraine for allegedly acting as a conduit of Russian influence and for associations with an organization linked to the abduction of Ukrainian children. The controversy has raised national security and ethics concerns due to Kremlev's relationship with the Kremlin and Donald Trump Jr.'s business interests in Department of Defense contracts.