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Donald Trump Addresses Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump Relationship, Links Son’s Divorce to Russia Probe
Former President Donald Trump has weighed in on the burgeoning romance between golf icon Tiger Woods and his former daughter-in-law, Vanessa Trump. While expressing approval for the new couple, Trump attributed the dissolution of his son Donald Jr.’s marriage to Vanessa to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. This revelation comes after DailyMail.com initially reported the relationship, which became public on social media in late March.
Trump Connects Donald Jr.’s Divorce to ‘Witch Hunt’
Speaking to reporters at his office, the former Commander-in-Chief commented on the relationship, stating, “I love Tiger and I love Vanessa. They had a great relationship.” Despite seemingly accepting the pairing of Woods and Vanessa, the 78-year-old Trump indicated lingering sentiments regarding his son’s previous marriage.
Donald Jr. and Vanessa Trump finalized their divorce in 2018. Trump, years later, appeared to place blame for the marital split on the political investigations surrounding his campaign and alleged Russian collusion.
President Donald Trump has shared his opinion on Tiger Woods’ relationship with Vanessa Trump, his former daughter-in-law
The couple officially announced their relationship in a social media post on March 23
Vanessa Kay Pergolizzi and Donald Trump Jr. were married in 1998 and have five children together. They divorced in 2018. Pictured: Vanessa and Don at the Angel Ball in New York City in 2007
“I happen to think the relationship with my son was hurt very badly by the witch hunt [about] Russia, Russia, Russia and all the c**p they put Don through,” Trump asserted. He continued, “Vanessa and Don had a very good relationship. They have five incredible children. All great athletes, all good students. They broke up quite a while ago, which, to me, was very sad because I think they’re both great people.”
Woods and Vanessa Trump Display Affection Publicly
Earlier in March, Woods shared publicly affectionate images with Vanessa on social media, accompanied by the caption “love is in the air.” Prior to making their romance known to the public, the pair reportedly informed President Trump of their relationship.
President Trump’s Positive Reaction and Prior Notice
Trump disclosed that Woods, with whom he claims a “special relationship,” personally informed him of the developing romance. “Tiger actually called me a few months ago,” Trump stated. “I have a special, very good relationship with Tiger. I played golf with him a couple of times over the past month and he’s a fantastic guy and a fantastic athlete.”
He added, regarding Woods’ disclosure, “He told me about it and I said, ‘Tiger, that’s good.’ I’m very happy for both [of them]. Just let both of them be happy.”
The golf star and Vanessa Trump have reportedly been dating since Thanksgiving. They are pictured together at a golf tournament in February
Sources indicate Donald Jr. is supportive of his former wife’s new relationship – pictured together in 2015
Relationship Timeline and Family Connections
Vanessa Trump, a former model and mother of five, officially filed for divorce from Donald Jr. in March 2018 in New York. Since the divorce, she has largely remained out of the public eye in terms of relationships. Woods, age 49, and Vanessa, age 47, both residents of Florida, have reportedly been an item since Thanksgiving, according to multiple sources.
The couple resides approximately 20 minutes from each other in the affluent Palm Beach area of southern Florida and were seen together at a golf tournament in February.
Notably, Vanessa’s eldest daughter, Kai, and Woods’ children, Charlie and Sam, all attend The Benjamin School, a private institution with annual fees of over $38,000.
While Kai and Charlie both participated in the Junior Invitational golf tournament in South Carolina earlier in March, neither Woods nor Vanessa were present. Donald Jr. was also absent from the event, despite reports suggesting his acceptance of Vanessa’s new relationship. Woods’ former spouse, Elin Nordegren, also did not attend.
Woods Informed Ex-Wife Nordegren
Reports indicate that Woods contacted Nordegren to inform her of his relationship with Vanessa, preempting potential leaks. DailyMail.com initially broke the news of Woods and Vanessa dating.
DailyMail.com exclusively reported the news of the golf legend dating Donald Trump Jr.’s former wife
Tiger Woods’ children, Sam and Charlie, attend school with Kai Trump at The Benjamin School. Sam Alexis Woods, 17, plays soccer, and Charlie Axel Woods, 16, plays golf
Neither Vanessa Trump nor Tiger Woods attended the Junior Invitational earlier in March, despite Kai Trump and Charlie Woods both competing
Sources told DailyMail.com that Woods’ call to his former wife was brief. An insider noted, “Tiger and Elin are supportive of each other.”
Regarding Nordegren’s initial reaction, the source stated, “Her response at first was like ‘Seriously? A Trump? For real?’ She was more amused than anything. But she really quickly just accepted it.”
The source added, “They’re not the type to give each other their ‘blessing’ per se, but they keep each other in the loop with anyone who is going to spend any amount of time around the kids.”
Public Debut on Social Media
On March 23, Woods shared photos with Vanessa on his social media accounts, including Instagram and X. The images included one of them posing in front of greenery and another of them embracing in a hammock.
“Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together,” Woods wrote in the caption. “At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.”
The posts garnered significant positive feedback, receiving hundreds of thousands of interactions, including likes and comments from Ivanka Trump and Kai Trump.
While Woods initially intended to maintain a low profile regarding his relationship with Vanessa, the news leaking publicly forced a change in strategy.
Rumors and Speculation in Palm Beach
Sources within Woods’ circle indicated he was aware the relationship would attract considerable attention. “He knew it would be a huge story when it came out,” an insider told DailyMail.com. “And he didn’t exactly love it. But obviously Tiger dating a Trump is always going to make headlines, which is exactly what he wanted to avoid.”
As rumors circulated, speculation increased, particularly within their Palm Beach community. “Benjamin is like a small community,” the insider explained, “and there’s nothing that rich people like to do more than gossip about each other. Frankly, I’m surprised that it was secret for so long.”
Reportedly, Vanessa frequently visits Woods at his Palm Beach residence. “They just love hanging out, having dinner and enjoying each other’s company,” the source revealed.
Last month, at the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational in California, they were photographed arriving together but refrained from public displays of affection to keep their relationship discreet.
Kai was seen wearing apparel from Woods’ clothing brand at the event. In February, Vanessa also accompanied Kai to watch a round of the TGL, the golf league co-founded by Woods and Rory McIlroy.
Woods’ Recent Health Challenges
Woods, who has been absent from high-profile relationships for over two years, began dating Vanessa amidst uncertainty surrounding his professional golf career due to a series of injuries. On March 11, Woods announced he had undergone another surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, precluding his participation in The Masters in April.
Vanessa and Donald Jr. were married in 2005 and divorced in 2018 after 13 years of marriage.
Sources tell DailyMail.com that Vanessa is purportedly unconcerned about Woods’ past 2009 scandal involving infidelity during his marriage to Elin Nordegren.