Why the Judge Who Presided Over Donald Jr. And Vanessa Trump's Divorce Was Impressed With Them

In 2018, Vanessa Haydon Trump sought a dissolution of her marriage to Donald Trump Jr. without a trial. They tied the knot in 2005 and have five kids together. As per People, the couple shared in a joint statement, "After 12 years of marriage, we have decided to go our separate ways. We will always have tremendous respect for each other and our families. We have five beautiful children together and they remain our top priority. We ask for your privacy during this time." While most couples release such statements, the duo actually took concrete steps to protect their children, which left a great impression on the judge. 

One of the reasons Vanessa decided to divorce Donald Jr. was because of his alleged affair with musician Aubrey O'Day. A contentious court dispute may have ensued had word gotten out about his purported infidelity. It seems, nevertheless, that a final 'uncontested divorce' petition was submitted by the pair. (Normally, when divorcing parents reach a mutual agreement on all matters related to their separation, including child custody, money, property, etc., the divorce is considered uncontested; the painful back-and-forth fights that often accompany divorces are bypassed in this 'simple divorce,' which leaves both parties relatively unharmed).

The couple's handling of their affairs was so good that even the judge who presided over their separation praised them. As reported by Page Six, Justice Michael Katz of the State Supreme Court commended the parents for their efforts to care for their children outside of court. The judge stated, "I very much would like to commend both of you for working out whatever differences you may have had regarding those issues and committing to co-parenting with each other. You have prioritized your children and taken steps to shield them from what could have been an invasive litigation process. Not everyone is able to do that."

Several factors contributed to the dissolution of Don Jr.'s 12-year marriage. One source informed Page Six, "Don Jr. has been busy traveling, which has contributed to their problems. Vanessa is a devoted mother, but she is increasingly lonely and alone in the house with the children." Another reason was that Vanessa's home life allegedly lacked the typical Trump family amenities, according to several sources. One of their mutual friends said that Don Jr. provided 'very little help' to Vanessa and kept her on a 'tight budget.' A different source said that Vanessa sought financial assistance from her relatives since Don Jr. was allegedly 'never generous with money.'

The couple's political views couldn't have been more divergent. It was evident from her mother's social media usage that Vanessa hailed from a significantly more liberal household than Don Jr., as pointed out by The New York Times. Mom Bonnie Jay Haydon has not been shy about sharing her views on gun control and has been a vocal advocate for progressive policies like Sweden's democratic socialism and higher taxes. Concerning women's freedom to choose whether or not to have children, she has also stated her mind. While Donald Jr. was always there for his dad and would fight for his political views, he may have irked Vanessa with his choice to join the family's political life.