Kathrine Frich
Family weddings usually bring out the best in relatives.
Everyone marks their calendars months in advance and clears their busy schedules to celebrate the happy couple.
But sometimes the father of the groom simply cannot promise to be there.
Scheduling conflicts
Donald Trump Jr. is preparing to marry socialite Bettina Anderson this weekend. The couple will exchange vows in front of a small group of friends and family in the Bahamas.
The president was recently asked if he planned to attend the island ceremony. His answer quickly caused a stir online.
According to The Daily Beast, the president did not confirm his attendance. He blamed his busy schedule for the uncertainty.
“Ughhh, 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 told reporters in the Oval Office.
Known for a while
He then expanded on his reasons for potentially missing his eldest son’s big day.
“I said: ‘You know, this is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran and other things,'” he added.
The president noted that the media would criticise him regardless of his choice. He then made a rather unusual comment about his own child.
“He’s uh got a very uh, person who I’ve known for a long time,” Trump said, before adding, “Hopefully they’re gonna have a great marriage.”
Online mockery
Those vague paternal comments immediately drew attention. Democratic Senator Andy Kim decided to mock the president’s phrasing on social media.
Kim posted a photograph of his young child on the platform X. He mirrored the exact words the president used.
“My son has a soccer game this weekend. He’d like me to go. I’m going to try. I said, this is not good timing for me. He’s a person I’ve known for a long time,” Kim wrote.
The joke quickly highlighted the awkwardness of the original Oval Office statement.
A rocky start
The upcoming wedding follows a messy transition for the groom. He recently split from his longtime fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle, who now serves as the US Ambassador to Greece.
Anderson and the president’s son were seen together while he was still officially engaged.
The wider family was reportedly unhappy with the new relationship. An insider told Mediaite earlier this year that her presence is viewed as a liability.
Despite that rocky beginning, the couple is moving forward with their tropical wedding plans.
Sources: The Daily Beast, Mediaite, X
