Donald Trump Jr, eldest son of the President of the United States, and his wife Vanessa, who married in 2005 and have five children, will divorce, the Trump Organization confirmed on Thursday.
"After 12 years of marriage, we have decided to separate. We will always have enormous respect for each other and for our families. We have five beautiful children together and they remain our priority. We ask that you respect our private life during this period," said the two spouses, both 40, in a statement sent by a spokesperson for the Trump Organization, the family company that oversees the Trump real estate empire.
Children range in age from three to 10 years old.
The spokeswoman, Amanda Miller, thus confirmed information from several American media, which had reported that Vanessa Haydon - by her birth name - had filed an "uncontested" separation request on Thursday, a simplified procedure which generally indicates the existence of an amicable agreement.
The New York Post had reported several weeks ago of marital problems between this ex-model and the president's son, linked to the many trips of Donald Jr as well as his taste for Twitter, a family specialty.
Donald Jr defends his father almost daily in the face of the multiple attacks against the president on his favorite social network.
This separation comes as the Trump Organization, co-directed by Donald Jr and his brother Eric since their father's arrival at the White House, is increasingly targeted by the investigation into possible collusion between the team of Trump campaign and Russia. Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller has asked the Trump Organization for any documents relating to Russia.
In mid-February, Vanessa Trump had also found herself, in spite of herself, in the miscellaneous section after having opened a letter intended for her husband and which contained a mysterious white powder.
The powder had proved harmless, but Vanessa Trump had been hospitalized as a preventive measure, as well as her mother who was with her when she opened the envelope.
In early March, police in Massachusetts arrested a young man suspected of being the author of the letter.
