From Dailymail · · 3m
Trump says marriage made Don Jr a different man
The president skipped his eldest son's wedding for Iran, then praised the results of it from a podium in Dublin.
In brief
The president skipped his eldest son's wedding for Iran, then praised the results of it from a podium in Dublin. Trump missed Don Jr's wedding over the Iran war, but months later told a Dublin audience that marriage has visibly changed his son. Originally reported by Dailymail.
A different human being
Donald Trump said his 48-year-old son Don Jr has changed since marrying earlier this year, joking that he has finally calmed down.
“He's calmed down so much. That's a good sign. He's like a different human being.”
Said on Irish soil
Trump, 80, made the remark on Saturday at the US ambassador's Deerfield Residence in Phoenix Park, Dublin, speaking to staff and diplomats.
The room laughed
The line landed as a joke. Assembled guests laughed as Trump described his eldest son as transformed by marriage.
Don Jr came along
Trump noted his son was in Ireland too, travelling with a group of family members on the trip.
“Don's here with a whole group of family. And he just got married, he's happily married, which is nice.”
The bride is Bettina Anderson
Don Jr married 39-year-old socialite and model Bettina Anderson, ending months of speculation about the relationship.
Palm Beach, late May
The ceremony took place in Palm Beach at the end of May, close to the family's Florida base.
A secret sister's house
The marriage certificate obtained by the Daily Mail shows they became husband and wife at the West Palm Beach home of Anderson's sister, Kristina McPherson.
She takes the name
Anderson said she would be taking the Trump surname after the marriage.
Then the Bahamas
After the Palm Beach ceremony, the couple headed to the Bahamas for a luxury reception.
Siblings, not the father
Eric, 42, and Ivanka, 44, celebrated with the couple and travelled on to the Bahamas with them.
The president stayed away
Trump did not attend his eldest son's wedding, citing national security duties as the war with Iran escalated.
His excuse at the time
Trump framed the absence as a scheduling problem he could not solve, pointing at the conflict abroad.
“This is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran and other things.”
A no-win call
He argued that either choice would draw attacks, and said he would be criticised whether he showed up or not.
“If I do attend, I get killed. If I don't attend, I get killed by the fake news.”
Melania missing too
Trump addressed the First Lady's absence from the Ireland trip, saying she was there in spirit but not in person.
“My wife is here - my wife is here in spirit.”
Seven hours too far
He admitted he had tried to talk Melania into coming, but she did not want to make the seven-hour journey.
The MAGA hat joke
Trump then joked that his wife should have just put on a Make America Great Again hat and joined him anyway.
Don Jr on the stump
Days earlier, Don Jr spoke at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday and Thursday.
Third in the 2028 field
He is typically ranked third in polls for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, which gives the calmed-down framing some weight.
A full day in Dublin
Trump landed at Dublin Airport on Saturday morning, met Irish President Catherine Connolly at Aras an Uachtarain, then Taoiseach Micheal Martin at Farmleigh House.
Golf, then home
He spends the rest of the trip at his Doonbeg resort and the closing weekend of the Amgen Irish Open, returning to the US on Sunday evening.
The takeaway
Trump missed Don Jr's wedding over the Iran war, but months later told a Dublin audience that marriage has visibly changed his son.
