The reason President Donald Trump will not attend Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding, despite getting an invite, has been revealed.
The Amazon founder and Sanchez are set to tie the knot tomorrow (June 28) in Venice, Italy.
Their wedding, believed to be a five-day affair, has already drawn stars like Kim Kardashian, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Gayle King, Tommy Hilfiger, and more.
White House officials confirmed that the US President was invited but declined due to “scheduling conflicts,” according to The Telegraph.
However, Ivanka Trump and her husband, as well as Donald Trump Jr., are expected to be in attendance.
The couple’s wedding plans faced last-minute challenges after protests erupted in Venice.
A group calling themselves “No Space for Bezos” organized demonstrations against the Amazon founder’s wedding, highlighting the city’s ongoing issues with overtourism.
"Our protest isn't about the wedding itself - it's about what it represents," Greenpeace campaigner Simona Abbate told the BBC. "This isn't just a celebration of two people getting married, it's a display of a lifestyle that's simply unsustainable. The richest live in excess, while others endure the consequences of a climate emergency they didn't create."
Local business owners expressed frustration, claiming canals were shut down and bridges closed for the festivities, leaving tourists stranded and causing financial losses.
One business owner told the Daily Mail: “We had a party of clients booked for Thursday night. But they were unable to get through to us because the bridges were all closed off… The police wouldn’t let them pass.”
Meanwhile, protesters in St Mark’s Square held signs reading: “We are the 99 percent, we have the power,” and “the planet burns,” while waving Extinction Rebellion flags and criticizing Bezos for “paying a 1.1% true tax rate.”
Despite the backlash, the celebrations began with a star-studded welcome party at the Madonna dell’Orto cloisters on Thursday evening.
Adding to the buzz, a leaked wedding invitation has drawn attention for its unique design and unexpected request.
The invite, adorned with cartoons of butterflies, doves, canals, gondolas, and feathers, included a clear message to guests: “We are excited for you to join us! We have one early request: please, no gifts."
Instead, the invite revealed: “Donations on your behalf are being made to the UNESCO Venice Office to safeguard the city’s irreplaceable cultural heritage, to CORILA to restore the lagoon habitats that protect Venice’s future, and to Venice International University to support research and education for sustainable solutions.
“This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories. Our hope is that through these efforts and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come," it concluded.
While some praised the decision to forgo gifts in favor of charitable donations, others mocked the invitation’s design, with comments like: “Wow! Did they just send an evite for their multi million dollar wedding?” and “With all the money he has they could have at least done something pretty and classy.”
One joked: “Was the invitation made in Microsoft Paint?” while others noted it made sense, asking, “What do you even buy a billionaire?”
While President Trump will not be attending, the wedding is continuing in full billionaire style, with guests continuing to pour into Italy for the grand event.