The president defended Donald Trump Jr.’s decision to take a large gift from Umar Kremlev, saying that such presents are “common.”
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President Donald Trump said Friday that his son paid back the well-connected Russian businessman who funded his wedding celebrations.
A person close to Donald Trump Jr. confirmed the repayment.
The contribution of hundreds of thousands of dollars, revealed Monday by the investigative news website ProPublica, came from Umar Kremlev, a boxing executive who does business with the Russian state and has received honors from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
President Trump did not attend the wedding, which included about 50 people and occurred on private Bahamian islands.
The president defended the contribution, calling it “common” for people to give a wedding party to a friend.
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“It’s totally allowed, but as I understand it, he paid him back,” Trump told reporters Friday in the Oval Office. “He didn’t want to have that.”
The bride, Bettina Trump, confirmed the gift, but denied that it came with any sinister or political motive.
Kremlev met Trump Jr. several years ago and speaks limited English, according to ProPublica.
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