President Joe Biden welcomed guests to the White House for his granddaughter Naomi’s wedding on Saturday, in an unprecedented ceremony witnessed by nearly 250 guests. The 28-year-old Washington attorney married 25-year-old law student Peter Neal on the south lawn of the mansion.
“It has been so much fun watching Naomi grow, discover who she is and build such an amazing life for herself,” President and First Lady Jill Biden said in a statement. “We are now filled with pride to see that she has chosen Peter as her husband and we are honored to welcome him into our family,” they added. “We wish them days full of laughter and a love that grows deeper every year.” Naomi Biden is the eldest daughter of Hunter, the president’s son.
It’s not unheard of for the presidential mansion to be decorated for the wedding. The White House Historical Association says there have been 18 weddings at the mansion, including Richard Nixon’s daughter Tricia in 1971 and Barack Obama’s official photographer Pete Souza in 2013.
The association says the White House has also hosted receptions for weddings elsewhere on four occasions, such as that of George W. Bush’s daughter, Jenna, in 2008. But this is the first time a president’s granddaughter has been married at that location.
The White House said in its brief statement that the Bidens hosted a family wedding luncheon and wedding reception in the State Dining Room, and that a later party was scheduled at a strictly private event, drawing criticism. “The White House press has historically covered weddings held there because the space is owned by the American people and the appearance of a president is an event of national importance,” said Kelly O’Donnell, an NBC reporter who is expected to be next. president of the White House Correspondents Association.
Biden is very close to his grandchildren, who call him Pop and are often seen with him, including at some official events.
Naomi is named after the president’s first daughter, who was killed as an infant in a car accident in 1972 that also killed his first wife.
The US press has claimed that Naomi Biden plays an important role in the president’s inner circle and has pressured him to run for president in 2020, for example.
Source: DN
