What did the American president say about a Russian billionaire spending money on "Trump Jr.'s" wedding?

- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Donald Trump Jr. "paid back" the Russian billionaire who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund parts of his wedding in the Bahamas. Trump added to reporters in the Oval Office: "To my knowledge, he paid him back," and continued: "A person he knows - I think he is a friend of his - hosted the wedding for him.

This is very common; I have heard of many people who host weddings for others." The president's remarks come after Trump Jr. and his wife, Bettina Anderson, confirmed in a statement that businessman Omar Kremlev - who has ties to the Kremlin - funded aspects of their wedding.

The couple described Kremlev as a "dear friend" and expressed their gratitude for the "very generous wedding gift." When asked whether it was appropriate for Kremlev to fund the event, Trump said: "That is perfectly allowed," downplaying concerns about Kremlev's connections to the Kremlin, saying: "Maybe Trump Jr. didn't conduct a background check on the man."

Trump's remarks are the clearest indication from the administration of a potential discomfort regarding the payment, although he also noted that it is common for a friend to cover the costs of a celebration related to a wedding. Attorney General Todd Blanche said in response to a question about the Russian billionaire earlier this week that Trump "does not know who this person is," dismissing the idea that his administration would conduct an investigation into the matter, adding: "Was an investigation conducted?...