Published: 03:02 AM, 23 August 2020
Trump holds rare White House funeral for younger brother
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump watch as the coffin of the president's younger brother, Robert, is carried out of the White House in Washington, following a funeral, on Aug 21, 2020. -NYT
Growing up in Queens, Robert Trump learned to survive in the shadow of a rambunctious older brother, Donald, who monopolized attention. In adulthood, his older brother was his boss at the Trump Organisation.
And near the end of his life, he became his older brother's defender, joining him in publicly excoriating their niece, Mary, who had written a memoir about life inside a family she characterized as cold and cruel. On Friday, President Donald Trump repaid Robert, the brother who had always been loyal, by hosting a funeral in the East Room of the White House.
Robert Trump died last week in New York at 71. The White House did not give a cause. It was the first time a president has held a funeral for a family member in nearly 100 years, according to the White House Historical Association. Donald Trump delivered the eulogy, which lasted about 10 minutes.
The guest list was limited to about 150 people, including the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, as well as an extended network of relatives.
Other guests included Rep Peter King, R-NY, who posted his invitation on Twitter. Vice President Mike Pence and Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, also attended. Guests did not wear masks at the funeral, but they were given coronavirus tests beforehand at the Trump International Hotel.
---NYT
