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Donald Trump Jr. married socialite Bettina Anderson on May 23 in the Bahamas, but the invite list is generating more headlines than the actual wedding.
President Donald Trump told the press on May 22 that “circumstances pertaining to Government” and his “love for the United States” were keeping him away from celebrating his eldest son’s big day, per Reuters. While the elder siblings, Eric, Ivanka, and Tiffany Trump, were expected to attend, Barron, 19, was noticeably absent, which is raising eyebrows.
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Without Donald Trump, Melania, or Barron in attendance, it signals a possible family rift — at least to outsiders. A source explained the curious family dynamics to Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice Substack.
“Barron grew up in a completely different world from Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka, and Tiffany,” the insider shared. “There’s emotional distance there, and everyone in the family knows it.”
Donald Trump Jr. & Bettina Anderson
Christopher Polk/Variety
This is the second Trump family event in a week that might indicate a great family divide. Donald Jr.’s eldest daughter, Kai, 19, graduated from high school on May 14. While her dad and mom, Vanessa Trump, were in attendance — and the president was in China — Melania, Ivanka, and Jared Kushner were absent from the celebrations.
It’s no secret that Ivanka and Melania don’t get along, and that feud goes back to Donald Trump’s first administration.
“Melania lived in New York. She didn’t appear in public or release statements to the press. Her social media was quiet,” Stephanie Winston Wolkoff wrote in her 2020 book, Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady. “Ivanka rushed in to fill the void as ‘acting’ first lady, issuing constant social media posts and press releases galore about her involvement with women’s issues, lobbying Daddy about climate change (alas, unsuccessfully), and attending every meeting she could slink her way into.”
Now, the rift seems to carry over to Donald Trump and Melania’s only child, Barron. The age gap between Donald Jr. and Barron might also have something to do with it — Donald Jr. is 48, and Barron is 20. They were raised in different households and are at vastly distinct stages of their lives, so they don’t have a lot in common. Kai and Barron are the ones who probably relate better to each other.
The Trump family tensions aren’t likely to improve anytime soon — everyone is on their own timeline.
More on the Trump family:
Before you go, click here to see family feuds we can’t believe played out in public.
