Robert Trump, the younger brother of President Trump, passed away in a New York hospital on Saturday night at the age of 71, the president announced in a statement .
“It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother, Robert, peacefully passed away tonight,” the statement reads. “He was not just my brother, he was my best friend. He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again. His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace.”
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Robert was the youngest of the five Trump siblings, which consisted of Donald, the late Fred Trump Jr., Maryanne Trump Barry, and Elizabeth Trump Grau.
According to CNN , Robert worked as a real estate developer and served as an executive vice president for the Trump Organization.
In 2016, he publicly voiced his support for his brother, Donald’s, presidential run, and even offered up his support: “If he were to need me in any way, I’d be there.”
In June, the youngest Trump sibling was hospitalized with an undisclosed serious condition for more than a week before being released.
However, on Friday Robert was revealed to be at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City and was reported to be in critical condition.
“I have a wonderful brother,” President Trump said at a press briefing on Friday following news of his brother’s hospitalization. “We’ve had a great relationship for a long time, from day one. It’s a long time ago. And he’s in the hospital right now. And hopefully he’ll be alright, but he is pretty… He’s having a hard time.”
That same day, Trump made a last-minute decision to visit his brother in the hospital before heading to New Jersey.
According to The New York Times , before his brother’s death on Saturday night, the president made a phone call to his hospital room after receiving word that Robert’s condition had worsened.
It’s unclear why or for how long the youngest Trump sibling had been hospitalized prior to his passing.
On Saturday night, members of the Trump family took to social media to share news of Robert’s death.
“Uncle Robert, we love you,” Ivanka Trump tweeted . “You are in our hearts and prayers, always.”
Donald Jr. wrote , “Uncle Rob, we love you and we will miss you. R.I.P.”
“Robert Trump was an incredible man — strong, kind and loyal to the core,” Eric Trump tweeted on Saturday. “Anyone who encountered him felt his warmth immediately. He will be deeply missed by our entire family.”
h/t: CNN , New York Times
