President Donald Trump on Monday said "it's no big deal!" that a Russian oligarch with ties to Vladimir Putin financed part of Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding celebration with Bettina Trump in the Bahamas last May.
ProPublica's report that businessman Umar Kremlev spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to rent an island for a reception that included fireworks raised alarms among national security experts. They questioned Kremlev's motives for spending a "fortune cultivating the connection," the outlet wrote. Not to mention that Russia is still considered an enemy despite Trump's expressed admiration for Putin.
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So it was no surprise that Trump dismissed the budding controversy in a statement through the White House to The New York Times.
"I have no idea who Umar is, never heard of him, and he didn't pay for Don and Bettina's wedding, which took place at a totally different location, and on a different day," the president said. "It was an 'after-party' given in their honor. Not a big deal!"
The largesse of Kremlev was also downplayed by Trump Jr. and his bride, who cited Kremlev's friendship as the reason for the gifts. However, a spokesperson for Eric Trump said the younger brother had no clue who Kremlev was.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among prominent Democrats to bash the Trump family's questionable arrangement.
"I mean, as we see, these guys are in the pocket of everyone but the American people," she told MeidasTouch's Pablo Manríquez.
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