Donald Trump signed a letter of intent to begin negotiations over building a Trump Tower in Russia, a leaked document has revealed, despite the president’s lawyer insisting no such signature existed.
The 2015 letter, obtained by CNN, was a precursor for planned talks between the Trump Organisation and IC Expert Investment, the Russian firm that would have been responsible for developing the project.
On Sunday, Rudy Giuliani, Mr Trump’s lawyer and chief representative, admitted the existence of the letter but insisted “no one signed it”.
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Mr Trump himself appeared to refer to the letter in November. Speaking to reporters, the president suggested it had been signed instead by his former lawyer Michael Cohen.
“I don’t even remember it,” he said.
But the document, which has been made public, does appear to feature the president’s idiosyncratic signature, as well as that of Andrey Rozov, owner of IC Expert Investment.
On the 2016 presidential campaign trail, Mr Trump denied having any business interests in Russia, claiming repeatedly he had “nothing to do” with the country.
But the project, which was ultimately scrapped, would have handed the Trump Organisation a $4m (£3.2m) fee, a cut of future sales, and control over marketing and design of what would have been condominiums, a hotel and commercial space in the heart of Moscow.
It would also have given the Trumps the opportunity to name the hotel spa after Mr Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka.
Mr Cohen admitted in court last month he intentionally misled congress when he claimed talks over the tower had ended months before his then-boss won the Republican Party’s presidential candidacy in June 2016.
Court documents filed by the special counsel investigating the Trump team’s links to Russia show Mr Cohen had discussed with a Russian businessman plans for the tower “as late as approximately June 2016”, and had done so directly with the president multiple times.
Last week, Mr Giuliani suggested conversations between Mr Trump and Mr Cohen over the deal may have gone on until November of that year, the month of the election.
The publication of the letter vindicates Mr Cohen, who told congress in 2017 Mr Trump had signed the document. Donald Trump Jr also testified it had been signed by his father.
The Moscow project is important because it was being pursued while Mr Trump was forging ahead in the race to become president.
Shape Created with Sketch. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 21 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? 1/21 Elizabeth Warren Massachusetts Senator, progressive Democrat and major supporter of regulating Wall Street AP 2/21 Hillary Clinton 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, former Secretary of State, former first lady Getty Images 3/21 Kamala Harris California Senator, renowned prosecutor, introduced to national stage during Jeff Sessions’ testimony AP 4/21 Bernie Sanders Vermont Senator, 2016 Democratic candidate, longtime independent turned Democrat AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana 5/21 Eric Swalwell California congressman MSNBC 6/21 Beto O’Rourke Texas congressman, 2016 Texas senatorial candidate AFP/Getty 7/21 Joe Biden Former Vice President Reuters 8/21 Kirsten Gillibrand New York Senator Getty Images 9/21 Oprah Winfrey Billionaire philanthropist and media mogul Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images 10/21 Michael Bloomberg Former New York mayor, billionaire entrepreneur AFP 11/21 Eric Holder Former attorney general AP 12/21 Cory Booker New Jersey senator Getty images 13/21 Terry McAuliffe Former Virginia governor, worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms AP 14/21 Chris Murphy Connecticut senator, reportedly keeping tabs on major donors AP 15/21 Sherrod Brown Ohio Senator 16/21 Mitch Landrieu New Orleans mayor, has spoken with Obama about future of the Democratic Party AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin 17/21 John Kerry - Former secretary of state, has said he is considering a run Getty 18/21 Bob Casey Pennsylvania Senator 19/21 Tom Steyer Billionaire philanthropist, has led anti-Trump impeachment efforts REUTERS/Darren Ornitz 20/21 Julian Castro Texas Congressman, said on MSNBC “I am very likely to run for president.” Getty Images 21/21 John Delaney Maryland congressman, first major Democrat to launch a bid for 2020’ AP Images 1/21 Elizabeth Warren Massachusetts Senator, progressive Democrat and major supporter of regulating Wall Street AP 2/21 Hillary Clinton 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, former Secretary of State, former first lady Getty Images 3/21 Kamala Harris California Senator, renowned prosecutor, introduced to national stage during Jeff Sessions’ testimony AP 4/21 Bernie Sanders Vermont Senator, 2016 Democratic candidate, longtime independent turned Democrat AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana 5/21 Eric Swalwell California congressman MSNBC 6/21 Beto O’Rourke Texas congressman, 2016 Texas senatorial candidate AFP/Getty 7/21 Joe Biden Former Vice President Reuters 8/21 Kirsten Gillibrand New York Senator Getty Images 9/21 Oprah Winfrey Billionaire philanthropist and media mogul Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images 10/21 Michael Bloomberg Former New York mayor, billionaire entrepreneur AFP 11/21 Eric Holder Former attorney general AP 12/21 Cory Booker New Jersey senator Getty images 13/21 Terry McAuliffe Former Virginia governor, worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms AP 14/21 Chris Murphy Connecticut senator, reportedly keeping tabs on major donors AP 15/21 Sherrod Brown Ohio Senator 16/21 Mitch Landrieu New Orleans mayor, has spoken with Obama about future of the Democratic Party AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin 17/21 John Kerry - Former secretary of state, has said he is considering a run Getty 18/21 Bob Casey Pennsylvania Senator 19/21 Tom Steyer Billionaire philanthropist, has led anti-Trump impeachment efforts REUTERS/Darren Ornitz 20/21 Julian Castro Texas Congressman, said on MSNBC “I am very likely to run for president.” Getty Images 21/21 John Delaney Maryland congressman, first major Democrat to launch a bid for 2020’ AP Images
During that time, he praised the Russian president Vladimir Putin as “brilliant” and a “strong leader”, and said he would have a “great relationship” with the Kremlin.
The White House has been contacted for comment.
victorvictor1 on December 19th, 2018 at 13:26 UTC »
Quartermaster Clerk: [Returning Austin's personal property after reanimating him] One Swedish-made penis enlarger pump.
Austin Powers: [To Vanessa, frantically] That's not mine.
Quartermaster Clerk: One credit card receipt for Swedish-made penis enlarger pump signed by Austin Powers.
Austin Powers: I'm telling ya baby, that's not mine.
Quartermaster Clerk: [Beginning to get annoyed over the monotony] One warranty card for Swedish-made penis enlarger pump, filled out by Austin Powers.
Austin Powers: I don't even know what this is! This sort of thing ain't my bag, baby.
Quartermaster Clerk: One BOOK, "Swedish-made penis Enlarger Pumps And Me: (This Sort of Thing Is My Bag Baby)", by Austin Powers. (<----------- this is where we are now)
DAS_FX on December 19th, 2018 at 13:16 UTC »
Hey, that signature looks exactly like the one on all those restaurant menus Trump signs in the White House!
dismayedcitizen on December 19th, 2018 at 11:55 UTC »
Of course not.
Of course not. The 'smartest person, smarter than anybody', with 'one of the great memories of all time', with a 'very, very large...a-brain' doesn't remember it.