Bettina Trump Leans Into Spotlight Despite Scandal Over Putin-Linked Russian Financing Don Jr.'s Bahamas Wedding Party

Bettina Trump decided to lean into the spotlight amid the scandal over her and Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding weekend in the Bahamas.

Bettina, along with Don Jr. and three of his children, were present on the red carpet at Áras an Uachtaráin last weekend.

Per the Daily Mail, they were among the first people to greet Irish President Catherine Connolly at the event.

The U.S. president’s trusted aide, Natalie Harp, was also among the people gathered there, although she reportedly stood further down the line.

The 39-year-old posted several pictures from their Ireland trip on Instagram on September 14.

She wore a tailored-to-perfection beige coat over her shoulders for the event, which almost resembled a cape.

Per the outlet, the look is often closely associated with the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump.

She could be seen wearing an emerald green dress underneath it for the official event, while in other shots she rocked the same coat with a black dress underneath.

She posed for multiple photos with Donald Trump and her new husband that she shared online, which included a mirror selfie with her father-in-law and stepdaughter Chloe, 12.

A source close to Bettina told Daily Mail after the event, “She was looking pretty comfortable.”

“She was also showcasing her relationship with Trump, taking mirror selfies of herself and Chloe with the President on the plane. She was really leaning into it,” they added.

Body language expert Judi James told the outlet that it seems like the newlyweds’ dynamic has shifted pretty drastically.

“Before their wedding in May, Bettina often appeared to take Don's lead, while he sported the puffed chest and tendency to dominate the spotlight of his alpha-posturing father,” the body language expert claimed.

“As the family group lined up outside to be introduced to the President of Ireland, though, it was Bettina smiling serenely and rotating in the direction of the cameras and chatting in what looked like a very confident bid to be visible,” she added.

Meanwhile, Don Jr. appeared more “tense” at the event, sometimes flashing “lightning smiles,” per Judi.

However, upon their return from Ireland, the couple landed in the middle of a controversy when reports spread that a Russian oligarch named Umar Kremlev, closely linked with Vladimir Putin, funded their wedding party in the Bahamas.

Bettina took to Instagram again to share her and Don Jr.’s side of the story with a carousel post of pictures from their wedding.

“Our dear friend Umar very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebration for us AFTER our wedding. It was an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend and something for which we were and remain incredibly grateful,” the statement in the caption read.

“It’s unfortunate that something so personal and happy can be recast as something political or sinister simply because of who someone is or where they come from,” the caption continued.

“Friendship doesn't require a political motive. Generosity doesn't automatically come with an agenda. And sometimes a wedding gift is simply a wedding gift,” the joint statement added.