President Trump said his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has become a “different human being” since marrying Bettina Anderson in May — joking that the 48-year-old political heir has finally “calmed down.”
“Don’s here with a whole group — whole group of family. And he just got married, he’s happily married, which is nice,” Trump said Friday while addressing staff and diplomats at the US ambassador’s residence in Dublin.
“He’s calmed down so much. That’s like a good sign. He’s like a different human being,” Trump added to laughter from the assembled guests.
Trump was in Ireland at the start of his trip and also joked about first lady Melania Trump, who stayed behind in Washington for a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony at the Pentagon.
“My wife is here — my wife is here in spirit,” Trump said, before recounting how he tried to persuade her to join the seven-hour trip. “She said, ‘Well, it’s a seven-hour trip. Maybe I’m not that friendly.’”
Trump also joked that Melania should simply put on a “Make America Great Again” hat and come along, adding that she sent her regards.
Trump missed Don Jr. and Anderson’s May wedding in the Bahamas because he was consumed by the escalating war with Iran — a decision he joked at the time was a no-win situation.
“This is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran and other things. That’s one I can’t win on,” Trump said at the time. “If I do attend, I get killed. If I don’t attend, I get killed by the fake news.
“Hopefully they’re going to have a great marriage,” he added.
Trump Jr. was one of a host of speakers at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, which ran Wednesday and Thursday. He typically comes in third in 2028 polls for the Republican presidential nomination.
Trump also vouched for the golf game of US Ambassador Ed Walsh, a New Jersey real estate developer who previously lived in Bedminster — home to Trump’s sprawling golf estate and longtime retreat.
“This is a real easy ambassadorship. Number one, all he has to do is play golf all day and he’s doing a great job,” he said.
