Jimmy Kimmel wasted no time Tuesday night skewering Donald Trump after the president skipped his son Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding.
Trump Jr. married Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson in a ceremony held on a private island in the Bahamas on Saturday, with his siblings Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany Trump all in attendance.
The president confirmed on Truth Social that “circumstances pertaining to Government,” and his “love for the United States of America,” prevented him from attending the nuptials.
On Tuesday’s edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the late-night host explained in his monologue: “It was a small ceremony with about 40 guests, none of whom were his father. Daddy Donald sent his RSVP via Truth Social.”
Kimmel then showed Trump’s social post to the audience, which concluded: “I feel it is important for me to remain in Washington, D.C., at the White House during this important period of time. Congratulations to Don and Bettina!”
“See, he can be warm when he wants to,” Kimmel replied. “He loves Don Jr. He just loves the United States more. He had circumstances pertaining to government to get to. And also flying to a private island makes him miss his friend Jeffrey, who he lost.”
Kimmel was, of course, referring to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump’s relationship with Epstein, which the president has consistently and strenuously denied, has been a major headache for the administration throughout Trump’s second term.
Kimmel continued: “This is a guy who golfs two, three times a week. He’s going to UFC fights with Vanilla Ice. He was too busy for his son’s wedding. But he did say Don and Bettina are going to have a great marriage. And this is a man who knows a great marriage. He’s had three of them himself. Poor Don Jr. Without his father, they had to scramble to find somebody else to make a 90-minute toast about windmills and transgender weightlifters.”
Kimmel noted that Trump Jr. and his new wife are still reportedly planning a White House celebration for their wedding — one that Trump and Melania Trump are expected to attend.
“Well, you’d hope so,” said Kimmel. “They live there. Can you imagine if they didn’t show up to that one too? ‘We wanted to make it, but we were unable to go downstairs.’”
On Tuesday, The View hosts similarly mocked the president for missing his son’s wedding.
“He said he had the war in Iran and he clearly needed to [post], so things were busy,” Sara Haines said.
“The war in Iran has been going on and he’s been playing golf, that didn’t stop him,” comedian Joy Behar added.
Trump Jr. was previously married to Vanessa Trump, with whom he shares five children. In a subsequent relationship, Trump Jr. was engaged to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s ex-wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle.
