US President Donald Trump confirmed he will not attend his eldest son Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding to Bettina Anderson due to his government duties and the ongoing conflict with Iran. He stated attending would lead to criticism from the media regardless of his decision.
The wedding is set for Memorial Day weekend 2026 on a small private island in the Bahamas. Despite the private celebration, Trump said, "I have a thing called Iran and other things. That’s one I can’t win on. If I do attend, I get killed. If I don’t attend, I get killed – by the fake news, of course" [1].
Trump Jr., 48, and Anderson, 39, are already legally married, having filed a marriage license in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Thursday, May 21, 2026. This is Trump Jr.'s second marriage; he was previously married to Vanessa Trump, with whom he has five children. Trump publicly got engaged to Anderson in December 2025 at a White House holiday event [1, 2, 3].
The president acknowledged on May 21, 2026, that government responsibilities related to the Iran conflict prevent him from attending the wedding. He added, "While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon to be wife, Bettina, circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so" [2].
Though he is skipping the wedding, Trump has recently appeared in public, attending a UFC event in Miami and a PGA golf tournament in Florida [1].
Trump confirmed via social media on May 22 that he will definitely not attend the wedding [2, 4].
