The first granddaughter, Kai Trump, is as sporty as they come, complete with her dreams of being a professional golfer. So why wasn’t she present and accounted for when dad Donald Trump Jr., step-mom Bettina Trump, and her siblings went on a family fishing trip? While some MAGA critics might smell trouble in the family, there might be a more reasonable explanation for Kai’s absence in the family trip that Bettina posted photos of on Instagram.
Kai has spoken about Bettina before, and she has been in photos with her step-mother from time to time. But this particular family trip, where the group traveled to the Bahamas, seems to be one that Kai might have skipped altogether. And the fishing trip is one that people are talking about now, mostly because it’s like a game of Where’s Waldo, but, you know, Where’s Kai?
Kai Trump isn’t in any of the family fishing trip photos.
In early August 2026, Don Jr. posted a handful of photos from “Crush Fest,” which seems to be what Don Jr. and Bettina refer to as the annual family trip. Don Jr.’s photos include shots of the fishing trip during the vacation, lobsters that he and (almost) all of his kids caught on the excursion, and family photos with some of his kids and Bettina.
“Awesome crushfest in the Bahamas this past weekend,” he wrote in the caption. “Great friends great food great time!!! Also getting Chloe and Spencer on their first lobsters was epic.”
On Bettina’s Instagram, she posted her own collection of photos from the family trip, where Kai was noticeably absent. In her caption, she wrote, “Great crew, Great crush and magical memories!! Nothing beats fresh lobster, salty skin, sun kissed cheeks, time with family, and friends who are family.”
Bettina’s comments were turned off, but under Don Jr.’s post, critics commented to admonish Don Jr. for allegedly spending taxpayers’ money on the trip. Eventually, the comments were limited. So hey, at least Kai walked away from this particular show of wealth unscathed.
She might have been on a different vacation with friends around the same time.
Around the same time that Don Jr. and Bettina posted their family vacation photos, Kai shared her own pictures on Instagram from a separate trip. Her vacation was to Costa Rica and included friends rather than family. That could be where Kai was during her dad’s family vacation, and she opted not to miss out on one for the other.
Don Jr. shares all five of his children, Chloe, Spencer, Tristan, Kai, and Donald Trump III with his ex-wife, Vanessa. It looks like Donald III was in at least one photo from the trip, but his youngest were more prominently photographed on the family vacation.
Kai Trump has shared thoughts on Bettina Trump before.
Some critics might have taken Kai’s absence to mean she has something against Bettina, whom Don Jr. married in 2026. If that’s the case, no one in that family is going to spill the tea any time soon. Ahead of Don Jr. and Bettina’s May 2026 wedding, Page Six reported that a source close to the family said Kai and Bettina are close.
“Kai really likes Bettina and gets along with her well,” the unnamed individual said at the time, per the outlet. “Kai and Bettina have made TikToks in the past and always have a lot of fun together.”
Kai’s absence on the big family vacation might say otherwise, though.
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