US President Donald Trump said Thursday he would try to attend his eldest son’s wedding this weekend but that the Iran war made it “bad timing.”

Donald Trump Jr., 48, is set to marry Bettina Anderson in the Bahamas, according to US media reports. Trump made the comments to reporters in the Oval Office.

Why might Trump miss his son’s Don Jr’s wedding?

Trump cited the Iran war and the ongoing effort to negotiate a peace deal as the reason he may not attend. He said he was conscious of the media scrutiny that would follow if he left for a private ceremony while the conflict remains unresolved. The war has sunk his poll ratings and sparked voter anger over rising living costs ahead of November’s midterm elections.

“He’d like me to go. It’s going to be just a small little private affair and I’m going to try and make it,” Trump told reporters. “I said, ‘This is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran and other things.’” Trump acknowledged the political bind his attendance would create, regardless of his decision.

What did Trump say about attending the wedding?

Trump was candid about the no-win nature of the situation. “That’s one I can’t win on. If I do attend, I get killed. If I don’t attend, I get killed, by the fake news of course,” he said. He added: “Hopefully they’re going to have a great marriage.”

Trump is currently working to strike a permanent end to the Iran war, which began on February 28. A ceasefire took effect on April 8, but negotiations between Washington and Tehran have stalled repeatedly since. The conflict remains a central political liability for the president at home.

Who is Donald Trump Jr. and who is he marrying?

Donald Trump Jr., known as Don Jr., is an executive vice president at The Trump Organization, the family’s luxury real estate conglomerate.

He is also a vocal proponent of his father’s right-wing MAGA political agenda and is frequently seen at the president’s side. Earlier this month, the two returned to the White House together from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Don Jr. is marrying Bettina Anderson in what Trump described as a small, private ceremony in the Bahamas. It will be his second marriage. Last year, Don Jr. said he could run for president “maybe one day.” His father’s second and final term runs until January 2029, and Trump has not yet named a preferred successor.