Donald Trump Jr., Bettina Anderson. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Bettina Anderson took a major step in their relationship when they attended his father, Donald Trump’s pre-presidential inauguration events.
The businessman, 47, and the socialite were photographed alongside several Trump family members at the Friday, January 17, fireworks ceremony at Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C. Then, the couple attended the Inauguration Eve candlelight dinner at the National Building Museum on Sunday, January 19. The events were also attended by Don Jr.’s ex-fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, who was recently nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to Greece.
The activities marked Don Jr. and Anderson’s first official public appearances since they were linked in December 2024. At the time, the two were photographed holding hands while walking around Palm Beach after reportedly celebrating her birthday at local restaurant Buccan.
The outing made headlines since news of Don Jr.’s split from Guilfoyle, 55, had not yet become public. (Don Jr. and Guilfoyle began dating in 2018 and got engaged in 2020, though their betrothal was not confirmed until 2022.)
“Don and Kimberly broke up before the election and started to divide assets around the end of September,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in December 2024, noting that the two “never discussed” their breakup publicly in an effort to not “detract from” other “important issues.”
Kimberly Guilfoyle. Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Taoray Wang
The insider divulged that Don Jr. was the one to call it quits with Guilfoyle. “The breakup was amicable and so is their relationship today,” the source said. “They just had different goals.”
Meanwhile, Don Jr.’s romance with Anderson is “new,” according to the insider.
“He likes her a lot and has a lot of respect for her,” the source shared, adding that Don Jr. is “smitten” with Anderson and thinks she is “very smart.”
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Guilfoyle, for her part, “has also moved on” from the broken engagement and “is dating,” the insider told Us. Despite her split from Don Jr., Guilfoyle was nominated by the new president to serve as the ambassador to Greece.
In December 2024, a second source revealed that while Don Jr. and Guilfoyle’s relationship “ran its course,” their connection was “genuine.”
The insider also shared that Don Jr.’s bond with Anderson is “different” than his past romance.
“When it comes to his relationship with Bettina it’s just about them,” the source said. “He wants a partner. She doesn’t need anything from him and just wants to be with him.”
Don Jr. and Anderson have since vacationed together in Italy and celebrated Christmas at Mar-A-Lago in Florida.
Prior to his engagement to Guilfoyle, Don Jr. was married to Vanessa Trump from 2005 to 2018. The exes share daughter Kai, 17, sons Donald III, 15, Tristan, 13, and Spencer, 12, and daughter Chloe, 10.
