President Donald Trump’s younger brother, Robert Trump, died Saturday night in a New York City hospital.
“It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother, Robert, peacefully passed away tonight,” Trump said in a statement Saturday evening.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for a Christmas Eve dinner with his family at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on December 24, 2019. (Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)
“He was not just my brother, he was my best friend. He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again,” the president continued in the statement. “His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace.” (RELATED: Trump Tells Hannity He’d Consider Pardoning Those Convicted In The Mueller Investigation)
President Trump reportedly visited Robert, 71, in his NYC hospital on Friday, spending roughly an hour at his bedside.
It was Robert’s second hospitalization since June, when he spent more than a week in the intensive care unit of an NYC hospital.
“Uncle Robert, we love you. You are in our hearts and prayers, always,” Ivanka Trump tweeted Saturday night.
Uncle Robert, we love you. You are in our hearts and prayers, always.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) August 16, 2020
Eric Trump said his uncle “was an incredible man – strong, kind and loyal to the core.”
Robert Trump was an incredible man – strong, kind and loyal to the core. Anyone who encountered him felt his warmth immediately. He will be deeply missed by our entire family.
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) August 16, 2020
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect Robert Trump’s correct age, 71.