Trump Tower in Moscow
While Donal Trump is president of the United States, it is past dealings in Russia that show why he refuses to speak negatively of Putin or Russia. It explains why he would rather disparage the CIA about Russian meddling in the 2016 election and threatens to prevent Mueller from digging into his business records with Russia.
I voted for Trump. It was a bad choice but Clinton was as bad. Trump, despite some good he has done, has done far more to disrupt America.
The Russian Connection
It starts in late 2013, when he owned the Miss Universe pageant. This time, it would be televised from Moscow, Russia. Trump had always a way into the Russian real estate and while he was there put out feelers about building a Trump tower in Moscow. He was also wanting to meet Putin. A Trump tower could not be built without Putin's blessing. Trump had got the Miss Universe in Russia via Alas Agalarov, one of Putin's known oligarch known for huge, vast, construction projects dear to Putin. Agalarov is known to be in Putin's favor and while Trump was in Moscow, Agalarov told Trump that Putin would like to meet him. Trump also met Dmitry Peskov, Putin's closest friend. Agalarov was a billionaire and had given $20 million dollars to get the Miss Universe in Moscow.
While all of this is innocent, there is no doubt Trump's desire to have a Trump tower in Moscow with his name on it is the reason why he still retains affinity towards Putin and Russia - one day he will be a private citizen again and he still wants a Trump tower there. Hence, his refusal to call Russia or Putin derogatory names.
Trump had already a failed attempt in Baku with a hotel project gone bad, so the potential of Trump tower in Moscow was hard for him to resist. Trump knew that any money he made from it was because Putin allowed it. While in Moscow, the Russians treated him like royalty and he met with other Putin advisors, who were evaluating Trump. However, Trump's dream of meeting Putin would not come then but Putin sent his senior advisor to convey the message that they should meet in the Olympics in Sochi.
The day after Trump left Moscow, Russian media reported that Trump is planning to build a Trump Tower in the city. What caused this headline? Trump had not arrived in Moscow alone, but had brought two men who had got his SoHo project in NYC off the ground. While Trump was dealing with Miss Universe, his two-man team had put together a tentative deal where the Russian Sberbank would finance 70% of the project. It would have Trump's name on the building and Agalarov's construction firm would build it. A "Letter of Intent" was signed by the Trump organization. The person in charge of the coming project would be Donald Trump Jr.
The location was scouted by Ivanka Trump and was to be built next to the Agalarov tower. Trump would also receive a letter from Putin, delivered by Agalarov's daughter while visiting in NYC.
So, why is it surprising that President Trump today refrains from ever saying negative things about Russia or Putin? Trump is thinking long term, one day, he or his son's may try to get the Trump tower built again.
It's just business.
