Tiffany Trump’s wedding assembles a family divided over its patriarch’s

CNN
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After three days on hurricane watch, Tiffany Trump breathed a sigh of relief.

The weather in Palm Beach, Florida, was finally easing and the forecast for Saturday, her wedding day, looked sunny and warm. Two people familiar with the bride-to-be’s mood tell CNN that Donald Trump’s younger daughter, his only child with second wife Marla Maples, had been “stressed” about the late-season storm and what it might mean for her Mar-a-Lago celebration with 25-year-old Michael Boulos, her boyfriend of four years.

But even though Tropical Storm Nicole is moving on, the Trumps may still be in for some tumult over the weekend. They’re gathering as their patriarch makes moves toward a 2024 presidential run, a prospect not everyone in the family is excited about. Some of them are signaling they don’t want to be involved much, if at all, sources close to the family tell CNN.

Three people familiar with the former president’s activities say he is not in the best of spirits. Many of the high-profile candidates he endorsed in the midterms failed to secure a win, and now some Republicans are whispering about his dwindling influence over the party. Trump is “cranky,” says one of the people.

At present, say those who are familiar, Trump is more focused on his “special announcement” on Tuesday, when he may – or may not – announce his planned third run for the presidency. His mind is consumed with the 2024 political landscape and where and how he will fit into it.

But first he has to get through one other job: Father of the bride.

Trump typically likes being the center of attention at his private club, which also serves as his home, but only if he’s being congratulated or in the mood for accolades. The run-up to Tiffany’s big day has been rough and, as the skies clear and her guests descend on Mar-a-Lago, sources say the former president is lying low.

Two of the people familiar with Trump’s mood say he has also been on the outs with his wife, Melania Trump, after a post-election day news report said she got the brunt of his ire after Dr. Mehmet Oz’s loss in his run for the US Senate. The New York Times reported that Donald Trump blamed Melania Trump for his endorsement of the TV doctor; during a rally this year, he mentioned his wife was a big Oz fan.

Showing up in a news story is not something the ultra-private Melania Trump enjoys, and Trump was soon apologizing on Truth Social to her for what he called “made up” stories about her involvement. The damage, however, say the two people, was done. Plus, everyone steers clear of the former president when he’s in a bad mood, including his wife. CNN has reached out to a spokesperson for the former president.

Still, it’s a wedding, and an entire family cannot completely avoid one another. Tiffany Trump has close relationships with all of her half-siblings, say those who know her. Though she was often referred to as Trump’s “forgotten daughter” during the White House years, when older sister Ivanka Trump was center stage, Tiffany – who graduated from Georgetown Law in 2020 – is tight with her older sister. Ivanka was on hand last weekend at Tiffany’s bridal shower, held at a friend’s home in Palm Beach, a celebration that included a tiered Tiffany-blue cake along with her mother, Marla Maples, and her stepmother, Melania Trump. CNN has reached out to a spokesperson for Tiffany Trump for comment on this story.

Ivanka and Tiffany Trump still have a strong relationship, but elsewhere the family dynamic has been shifting over the past two years. Ivanka’s interactions with her father have changed since both left the White House. Now living in Miami, Ivanka is not wistful for Washington – “far from it,” says one of several people who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity to preserve personal and professional relationships with the family. CNN reached out to a spokesperson for Ivanka Trump and did not receive a response.

Senior adviser to the president is not a role Ivanka Trump wishes to resurrect.

“(Ivanka) would never go back to that life,” says one of the people familiar with her thinking. “She knows it’s not something that would serve her or her family at this point.”

Another person says Ivanka has been “done” with Washington “since the day she left” and that “hasn’t changed.” A third person contends if Ivanka had any interest in taking part in politics again, people would have seen her on the campaign trail, pushing candidates for the midterms. Yet she made zero appearances or public endorsements, despite requests for participation by some of those in tight races, says a person with knowledge.

All of the people who spoke with…