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President Trump crashes New Jersey wedding

Posted at 4:50 PM, Jun 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-11 18:50:27-04

By Ashley Killough

CNN

BRANCHBURG, New Jersey (CNN) — Kristen Piatkowski and Tucker Gladhill got a big surprise at their wedding reception late Saturday night: a visit from President Donald Trump.

The President dropped in at about 10:30 p.m. ET, hours into the reception, which was being held at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster Township, New Jersey, according to someone who was in the room.

Guests were unaware that Trump, who stayed at the club this weekend, was stopping by until Secret Service agents came into the room minutes before his arrival to clear the way and make sure guests wouldn’t surround him, the source said.

Once he was there, Trump asked the names of the bride and groom and posed for photos. The source said the President also signed some “Make America Great Again” hats and gave them to guests, some of whom cheered him and chanted “U.S.A.!”

The White House has been largely silent about the President’s weekend activities in Bedminster. Members of the traveling press corps, which did not have access to the club, learned of the wedding visit when images started to appear on social media.

Trump is headlining a private fundraiser at the club Sunday night for Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-New Jersey, before returning to Washington Sunday night. MacArthur found himself at the crux of the health care debate this spring when he proposed an amendment to the GOP health care plan that got enough conservatives on board to pass the measure.