US President Donald Trump has announced the engagement of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., to Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson during a White House Christmas reception on Monday.
Footage shared on social media shows the president stepping aside at the podium as the couple stood together, prompting applause from guests. Trump Jr., 47, then addressed the crowd, thanking Anderson for saying “yes” and wishing attendees a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Anderson also spoke briefly at the event, thanking the president and first lady for hosting the reception and calling the weekend “the most unforgettable” of her life. She said she felt “the luckiest girl in the world” as she prepares to marry Trump Jr.
A spokesman for Trump Jr. has confirmed the engagement. The couple has been publicly linked since 2024 and has appeared together at several events, including galas in Palm Beach and family gatherings at Mar-a-Lago.
The personal life of Trump’s oldest son has regularly gained media attention. He was previously married from 2005 to 2018 to model Vanessa Haydon, with whom he shares five children. After their breakup, Trump Jr. was seen with former Fox News host and current US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle. The couple dated for six years and had an announced engagement in 2022, but parted ways in December last year, according to Page Six.
Anderson, 39, is the daughter of philanthropists Harry Loy Anderson Jr. and Inger Anderson, and is involved in mental health advocacy and conservation projects in Florida.