Joy Behar blasts Don Jr over Russian oligarch’s wedding gift: ‘Pick yourself up’

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Joy Behar had a direct message for Donald Trump Jr after he and his wife, Bettina Anderson, confirmed that Russian businessman Umar Kremlev helped pay for events during their May 2026 wedding weekend in the Bahamas.

During episode of ‘The View’, Behar questioned the couple’s description of the money as a gift before telling Don Jr, “Pick yourself up by your bootstraps.”

The discussion began after co-host Whoopi Goldberg brought up the report involving Kremlev, who was described on the show as having ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Goldberg noted that Don Jr and Anderson had confirmed the report and referred to their description of the payment as a “generous gift from a friend.”

Joy Behar takes aim at Don Jr over wedding gift

Behar joked that she would like to know Kremlev herself if he was willing to be so generous. “I wish I knew him because I was thinking of renewing my vows, and I would like his number, frankly,” Behar said.

The conversation then turned more serious, with Sara Haines saying the situation was “absolutely a bad look.”

Haines compared the controversy with the debate around Russian representation at international sporting events and questioned the contrast between those discussions and Trump Jr accepting money from a Russian businessman described as close to Putin.

“There’s something right there that just doesn’t track for me,” Haines said.

'The View' co-hosts discuss Umar Kremlev

Alyssa Farah Griffin also weighed in, pointing to information about Kremlev discussed on the show.

She said he had recently traveled from China with Putin and had received an Order of Friendship Award from Putin a month earlier.

Griffin also referenced reported sanctions by the Ukrainian government and past allegations of criminal extortion and bribery, citing ProPublica during the discussion.

She then joked about her own wedding guest list before saying, “You don’t have to invite everyone to your wedding.”

Sunny Hostin focused on the reported wedding expenses, including $100,000 for the Bahamian island and $70,000 for a fireworks show that Kremlev did not attend.

Hostin also brought up other controversies involving members of the Trump family and questioned the lack of Republican criticism over the wedding payment.

Joy Behar delivers final message to Don Trump Jr

Behar later shifted from jokes to a bigger point about wealth and financial assistance.

She argued that some people who criticize welfare assistance are also accepting large sums from wealthy individuals.

She then directed her final remark at Trump Jr. “You know what, Junior? Pick yourself up by your bootstraps.”

The exchange came after Trump Jr and Anderson confirmed Kremlev’s involvement in their wedding weekend and described the money as a “generous gift from a friend.”