business projects of Donald Trump in Russia

In 1987, Trump visited Russia to investigate developing a hotel, invited by Ambassador Yuri Dubinin whom he had met in New York the year before.{{cite book |first=Luke |last=Harding |author-link=Luke Harding |year= 2017 |title=The Hidden History of Trump's First Trip to Moscow (excerpt from Collusion: Secret Meetings, Dirty Money, and How Russia Helped Donald Trump Win) |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-525-52093-1 |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/19/trump-first-moscow-trip-215842 |via=Politico |access-date=March 12, 2018 |archive-date=May 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514082441/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/19/trump-first-moscow-trip-215842 |url-status=live }} British journalist Luke Harding alleged in 2017 that this trip likely began a long-term cultivation operation typical of the KGB's Political Intelligence Department, under written directives initiated by First Chief Directorate head Vladimir Kryuchkov, to recruit politically ambitious Westerners susceptible to flattery, egotism and greed.

In 1996, Trump partnered with Liggett-Ducat, a small company, and planned to build an upscale residential development on a Liggett-Ducat property in Moscow. Trump commissioned New York architect Ted Liebman, who did the sketches. Trump visited Moscow again with Howard Lorber to scout potential properties for "skyscrapers and hotels".{{cite magazine|title=Trump Solo|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1997/05/19/trump-solo|magazine=The New Yorker|date=May 19, 1997|access-date=March 6, 2018|last1=Singer|first1=Mark|archive-date=May 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507135141/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1997/05/19/trump-solo|url-status=live}} During that trip, Trump promoted the proposal and acclaimed the Russian economic market. At a news conference reported by The Moscow Times, Trump said he hadn't been "as impressed with the potential of a city as I have been with Moscow" in contrast to other cities had visited "all over the world."

By this time, Trump had made known his desire to build in Moscow to government officials for almost ten years "ranging from the Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev (they first met in Washington in 1987) to the military figure Alexander Lebed." Moscow's mayor, Yuri M. Luzhkov, showed Trump plans for a very large shopping mall to be located underground in the vicinity of the Kremlin. The mayor complimented Trump's suggestion that this mall should have access to the Moscow Metro, and it was eventually connected to the Okhotny Ryad station. Although the 1996 residential development did not happen, Trump was by this time well known in Russia.

{{See also|Trump Tower Moscow}} {{See also|Felix Sater}}

Trump's business strategy included Russia in ventures intended to internationally expand his brand. He transitioned in the mid-2000s from building and investing in real estate to simply licensing his name to hotels, condominiums, and commercial towers. Although a strategy of taking a percentage from the sales was successful in other countries, Trump's terms were not agreeable to Russians and conflicted with their way of doing business with American hotel chains.{{cite news

| last1 = Belton

| first1 = Catherine

| last2 = Stott

| first2 = Michael

| title = Trump's Russian connections

| newspaper = Financial Times

| location = London

| date = December 13, 2016

| url = https://ig.ft.com/sites/trumps-russian-connections/

|url-access=subscription

| access-date = January 22, 2017

| archive-date = February 23, 2018

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180223191023/https://ig.ft.com/sites/trumps-russian-connections

| url-status = live

}}

From 2000 to 2010, Trump partnered with a development company headquartered in New York represented by a Russian immigrant, Felix Sater. During this period, they partnered for an assortment of deals that included building Trump towers internationally. For example, in 2005 Sater acted as an agent for building a Trump tower alongside Moscow River with letters of intent in hand and "square footage was being analyzed."

In 2006, Trump's children Donald Jr. and Ivanka, traveling with Sater, stayed in the Hotel National, Moscow for several days, across from the Kremlin, to see promising partners, with the intent of doing real estate development deals.{{cite news

| last1 =Twohey

| first1 =Megan

| last2 =Eder

| first2 =Steve

| title =For Trump, Three Decades of Chasing Deals in Russia

| newspaper =The New York Times

| quote =Mr. Trump repeatedly sought business in Russia as far back as 1987, when he traveled there to explore building a hotel

| date =January 16, 2017

| url =https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/16/us/politics/donald-trump-russia-business.html?_r=0

| access-date =January 22, 2017

| archive-date =March 1, 2017

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20170301114004/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/16/us/politics/donald-trump-russia-business.html?_r=0

| url-status =live

}}{{cite news

| last =Dorell

| first =Oren

| title =Why does Donald Trump like Russians? Maybe because they love his condos

| newspaper =USA Today

| date =December 15, 2016

| url =https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/12/15/donald-trump-russia-wealthy-condo-buyers/95464922/

| access-date =January 22, 2017

| archive-date =January 18, 2017

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20170118093750/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/12/15/donald-trump-russia-wealthy-condo-buyers/95464922/

| url-status =live

}}{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia-trump-political-conflict-zone/story?id=42263092 |title=From Russia With Trump: A Political Conflict Zone |first1=Matthew |last1=Mosk |first2=Brian |last2=Ross |first3=Patrick |last3=Reevell |date=Sep 22, 2016 |work=ABC News |access-date=July 31, 2017 |archive-date=July 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731231101/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia-trump-political-conflict-zone/story?id=42263092 |url-status=live }}

Trump was associated with Tevfik Arif, formerly a Soviet commerce official and founder of a development company called the Bayrock Group, of which Sater was also a partner. Bayrock searched for deals in Russia while Trump branded towers were attempting to further expand in the United States. Sater said, "We looked at some very, very large properties in Russia," on the scale of "...a large Vegas high-rise." In 2007, Bayrock organized a potential deal in Moscow between Trump International Hotel and Russian investors.

During 2006–2008, Trump's company applied for a number of trademarks in Russia with the goal of real estate developments. These trademark applications include: Trump, Trump Tower, Trump International Hotel and Tower, and Trump Home.{{cite magazine|title=Donald Trump's Many, Many, Many, Many Ties to Russia|url=https://time.com/4433880/donald-trump-ties-to-russia/ |first=Jeff |last=Nesbit |magazine=Time|access-date=February 17, 2017|archive-date=February 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228022233/http://time.com/4433880/donald-trump-ties-to-russia/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Aleem|first1=Zeeshan|title=Fact-checking Trump's claim that he has no business ties to Russia|url=https://www.vox.com/world/2017/2/17/14622504/trump-russia-business-ties-fact-check|website=Vox|date=February 17, 2017|access-date=June 13, 2017|archive-date=June 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613225717/https://www.vox.com/world/2017/2/17/14622504/trump-russia-business-ties-fact-check|url-status=live}} In 2008, he said as a speaker at a Manhattan real estate conference that he feared the outcome of doing business deals in Russia, but he preferred "Moscow over all cities in the world" and that within 18 months he had been in Russia a half-dozen times.

In 2007, Trump announces that Trump Vodka will expand its distribution into Russia, his first foray into the Russian market. Trump "Super Premium" Vodka, bottles glazed with 24-karat gold, debuted in 2007 at the Millionaire's Fair in Moscow. It was successful only until sometime in 2009. Trump attempted to create a reality show in St. Petersburg, starring a Russian athlete. However, this was not successful.

In a 2015 interview, Trump said that his repeated attempts to launch business deals with Russians resulted in contacts with "...the top-level people, both oligarchs and generals, and top of the government people. I can't go further than that, but I will tell you that I met the top people, and the relationship was extraordinary."

Efforts to build Trump Tower Moscow continued through June 2016, while Trump was securing his place as the Republican presidential nominee. However, Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen in 2017 told Congress that these efforts ended in January 2016, and as a result, Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress in 2018. After June 2016, Trump denied several times having business dealings in or with Russia: in July 2016 he denied having employees or investments in Russia, and in October 2016 he said he was not doing any deals there and had nothing to do with Russia.{{cite news |last=Morrow |first=Brendan |url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/810185/8-times-trump-denied-doing-business-russia |title=8 times Trump denied doing business in Russia |work=The Week |date=30 November 2018 |access-date=14 October 2024 }} The president's attorney Rudy Giuliani made some contrary statements about that chronology, but then backtracked.{{cite news |date=21 January 2019 |title=Giuliani backtracks on comments Trump sought Moscow deal throughout 2016 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-trump-russia-idUKKCN1PF26F/ |work=Reuters}}

On July 9, 2019, Sater acknowledged before the House Intelligence Committee that one real estate project between Russia and Trump was falsely presented as a joint defense agreement, but withheld documents concerning direct details and phone records.{{Cite web |first1=Morgan |last1=Chalfant |first2=Olivia |last2=Beavers |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/452300-trump-associate-felix-sater-grilled-by-house-intel/ |title=Trump associate Felix Sater grilled by House Intel|work=The Hill | date=July 9, 2019 |access-date=July 11, 2019 |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710205100/https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/452300-trump-associate-felix-sater-grilled-by-house-intel |url-status=live}} Following his testimony, Committee chair Patrick Boland announced "Our investigation thus far has revealed that Sater was not a part of any joint defense agreement, and has no basis to assert this privilege over these documents."

On January 10, 2017, BuzzFeed News published the Steele dossier (also called the Trump–Russia dossier), a series of reports prepared by a private intelligence source in Great Britain. The unverified dossier alleged various connections and collusion between Trump associates and Russia before and during the 2016 presidential election.{{cite news |last1=Bensinger |first1=Ken |last2=Elder |first2=Miriam |last3=Schoofs |first3=Mark |title=These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties To Russia |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kenbensinger/these-reports-allege-trump-has-deep-ties-to-russia |website=BuzzFeed News |date=January 10, 2017 |access-date=April 16, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=April 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416014121/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kenbensinger/these-reports-allege-trump-has-deep-ties-to-russia |url-status=live }} The next day, January 11, Trump tweeted, "Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA – NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING!"{{cite tweet |user=realDonaldTrump |author-link=Donald Trump |number=819159806489591809 |title= Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA - NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING! |date=January 11, 2017 |access-date=May 29, 2017}} USA Today evaluated that assertion as "not exactly true".{{cite news |last1=Durando |first1=Jessica |title=Trump says 'I have nothing to do with Russia.' That's not exactly true |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/01/11/donald-trump-russia-vladimir-putin/96444482/ |work=USA Today |date=January 11, 2017 |access-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-date=June 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618185719/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/01/11/donald-trump-russia-vladimir-putin/96444482/ |url-status=live }} At a February 16, 2017 press conference, Trump said, "And I can tell you, speaking for myself, I own nothing in Russia. I have no loans in Russia. I don't have any deals in Russia."{{cite news|title=Trump's Thursday Press Conference, Annotated|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/02/16/515608127/transcript-and-analysis-trump-press-conference-on-labor-secretary-russia|date=February 16, 2017|publisher=National Public Radio|access-date=February 21, 2017|archive-date=February 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222054059/http://www.npr.org/2017/02/16/515608127/transcript-and-analysis-trump-press-conference-on-labor-secretary-russia|url-status=live}}

On May 9, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, "He [Trump] has no business in Russia. He has no connections to Russia."{{cite news|last1=Helsel|first1=Phil|title=Trump hires law firm to fight suggestions of Russia business ties|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-hires-law-firm-rebut-suggestion-russia-business-ties-n757106|access-date=May 29, 2017|work=NBC News|date=May 9, 2017|language=en|archive-date=May 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510053440/http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-hires-law-firm-rebut-suggestion-russia-business-ties-n757106|url-status=live}}

File:Maison-de-l amitie.jpg

On May 9, 2017, Trump's tax law firm, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which said a review of Trump's tax returns for the past 10 years did not find income from Russian sources during that period, save for "a few exceptions".{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/12/law-firm-russia-trump-morgan-lewis|title=Lawyers who said Trump has no ties to Russia named Russian law firm of 2016|first=Lauren|last=Gambino|date=May 12, 2017|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=May 24, 2017|archive-date=May 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513004130/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/12/law-firm-russia-trump-morgan-lewis|url-status=live}} The exceptions were the 2008 sale of a Trump-owned {{convert|6.26|acre|ha|adj=on}} estate in Palm Beach, Florida, for $95 million to Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev,{{cite news |title=Trump's former estate: The story behind the $95-million mansion tear-down |work=Palm Beach Daily News |date=April 3, 2016 |url=http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/business/real-estate/trump-former-estate-the-story-behind-the-million-mansion-tear-down/5qgtlikl46SX7KXGdtDPUI/ |access-date=August 25, 2017 |archive-date=August 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825233549/http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/business/real-estate/trump-former-estate-the-story-behind-the-million-mansion-tear-down/5qgtlikl46SX7KXGdtDPUI/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |first=Glenn |last=Garvin |title=Donald Trump and the mansion that no one wanted. Then came a Russian fertilizer king |work=Miami Herald |date=February 27, 2017 |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article135187364.html |access-date=June 5, 2017 |archive-date=June 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608004526/http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article135187364.html |url-status=live }} who tore down the {{convert|62,000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} mansion shortly after and sold {{convert|2.72|acre|ha}} of the site for $34 million,{{cite news |first=Brian |last=Bandell |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2016/11/18/russian-billionaire-sells-palm-beach-land-formerly.html |title=Russian billionaire sells Palm Beach land formerly owned by Trump for $34M |work=South Florida Business Journal |date=November 18, 2016 |access-date=August 25, 2017 |archive-date=August 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825230634/https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2016/11/18/russian-billionaire-sells-palm-beach-land-formerly.html |url-status=live }} as well as $12.2 million in payments in connection with holding the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow in 2013, plus a number{{how many|date=July 2017}} of "immaterial" deals. No independently verifiable evidence was provided, such as tax returns, and it has been noted that even disclosure of tax returns would not necessarily disclose Russian-source income. The letter also said Trump had received undisclosed payments over 10 years from Russians for hotel rooms, rounds of golf, or Trump-licensed products such as wine, ties, or mattresses, which would not have been identified as coming from Russian sources in the tax returns.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/us/politics/trump-russia-tax-returns.html |first1=Mark |last1=Landler |first2=Eric |last2=Lipton |title=Trump Lawyers Say He Had No Russian Income or Debt, With Some Exceptions |date=May 12, 2017 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-date=May 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515201322/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/us/politics/trump-russia-tax-returns.html?_r=0 |url-status=live }} The letter was a response to earlier requests from Senator Lindsey Graham asking whether there were any such ties.{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-hires-law-firm-rebut-suggestion-russia-business-ties-n757106 |title=Trump Hires Law Firm to Fight Suggestions of Russia Business Ties |author=Helsel, Phil |date=May 9, 2017 |work=NBC News |access-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-date=May 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510053440/http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-hires-law-firm-rebut-suggestion-russia-business-ties-n757106 |url-status=live }}

On November 30, 2018, a day after Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about Trump's business projects in Russia, Trump tweeted that it was "very legal & very cool" that he did "run for President & continue to run my business". Trump continued: "Lightly looked at doing a building somewhere in Russia. Put up zero money, zero guarantees and didn't do the project."{{cite news |last1=Rucker |first1=Philip |last2=Wagner |first2=John |title='Very legal & very cool': Trump dismisses criticism of his 2016 business project in Russia |date=30 November 2018 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/very-legal-and-very-cool-trump-dismisses-criticism-of-his-2016-business-project-in-russia/2018/11/30/76ee9552-f488-11e8-80d0-f7e1948d55f4_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=April 26, 2019 |archive-date=September 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921025252/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/very-legal-and-very-cool-trump-dismisses-criticism-of-his-2016-business-project-in-russia/2018/11/30/76ee9552-f488-11e8-80d0-f7e1948d55f4_story.html?noredirect=on |url-status=live }}

{{further|Timeline of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|Timeline of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections (July 2016–election day)|Timeline of post-election transition following Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections}}

• 1984: Russian mobster David Bogatin bought five condominiums from Trump tower for $6 million. The condos were later seized by the government, which claimed they were used to launder money for the Russian mafia. Bogatin was a convicted gasoline bootlegger, and close ally of Semion Mogilevich, a major Russian mafia boss.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/world/2018/9/12/17764132/trump-fbi-russia-new-york-times-craig-unger|title=Trump’s ties to the Russian mafia go back 3 decades|first=Sean|last=Illing|date=September 12, 2018|website=Vox}}{{cite magazine|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/143586/trumps-russian-laundromat-trump-tower-luxury-high-rises-dirty-money-international-crime-syndicate|title=Trump's Russian Laundromat|date=July 13, 2017|magazine=The New Republic|access-date=October 29, 2021|last=Unger|first=Craig}}{{cite web|url=https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/20/married_to_the_mob_investigative_journalist|title=Married to the Mob: Investigative Journalist Craig Unger on What Trump Owes the Russian Mafia|website=democracynow.org|access-date=October 29, 2021}}
• 1986: Soviet Ambassador Yuri Dubinin invites Trump on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Soviet Union.{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/@abbievansickle/timeline-of-trumps-relationship-to-russia-5e78c7e7f480 |title=Confused by Trump's Russia Ties? This timeline breaks it down for you |author=Abbie VanSickle |date=March 21, 2017 |website=Medium.com |access-date=July 23, 2018 |archive-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330154818/https://medium.com/@abbievansickle/timeline-of-trumps-relationship-to-russia-5e78c7e7f480 |url-status=live }}
• July 1987: Trump and his wife, Ivana, who speaks Russian,{{cite web|url=https://bilingualkidspot.com/2016/11/09/president-donald-trump-multilingual-family/|title=President Donald Trump and his Multilingual Family|date=November 9, 2016|work=bilingualkidspot.com|last=Bonfiglio|first=Chontelle|access-date=January 21, 2019|archive-date=March 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330154817/https://bilingualkidspot.com/2016/11/09/president-donald-trump-multilingual-family/|url-status=live}} make their first visit to the Soviet Union (which included the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic [RSFSR]).{{cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-russia-moscow-visit-1987-656115 |title=Trump Considered Business With the Russian Government in 1987, and Newsweek Met Him in Moscow |author=Max Kutner |date=August 28, 2017 |website=Newsweek.com |access-date=July 23, 2018 |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531112823/https://www.newsweek.com/trump-russia-moscow-visit-1987-656115 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/16/us/politics/donald-trump-russia-business.html |title=For Trump, Three Decades of Chasing Deals in Russia |first1=Megan |last1=Twohey |first2=Steve |last2=Eder |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 16, 2017 |access-date=July 23, 2018 |archive-date=May 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530061554/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/16/us/politics/donald-trump-russia-business.html |url-status=live }} They scout potential construction sites for a Trump Tower Moscow.
• 1996: Trump returns to Russia, visits Moscow with Howard Lorber and Bennett S. LeBow{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/21/politics/senate-trump-russia-david-geovanis-intl/index.html |title=Senate investigators pursue Moscow-based former Trump associate |author=Nina dos Santos |date=February 21, 2019 |website=CNN |access-date=February 22, 2019 |archive-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518222247/https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/21/politics/senate-trump-russia-david-geovanis-intl/index.html |url-status=live }} to scout potential properties for "skyscrapers and hotels", registers his trademark, and makes connections with the development company Bayrock Group (which would result in Trump Soho) and Felix Sater, who became crucial to later Trump Moscow talks.{{cite web |url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/11/trump-tower-moscow-a-history-of-donald-trumps-white-whale.html |title=What Does Trump Tower Moscow Mean to the Mueller Investigation? |author=Matt Stieb |date=November 29, 2018 |website=NYmag.com |access-date=December 3, 2018 |archive-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330170319/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/11/trump-tower-moscow-a-history-of-donald-trumps-white-whale.html |url-status=live }} Trump subsequently announces a plan to invest $250 million in Russia and brand two luxury residential buildings in Moscow, which doesn't come to fruition.{{cite book |last=Abramson |first=Seth |year=2018 |title=Proof of Collusion: How Trump Betrayed America |url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Proof-of-Collusion/Seth-Abramson/9781982116088 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-1-982116-08-8 |author-link=Seth Abramson |quote=It crosses continents and decades and has swept into its vortex more than four hundred people, millions of pages of financial records, and scores of unanswered questions about the state of our democracy. |access-date=August 15, 2019 |archive-date=April 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409123148/https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Proof-of-Collusion/Seth-Abramson/9781982116088 |url-status=live }} [https://simonandschusterpublishing.com/downloadables/proof-of-collusion/abramson_collusion_index.pdf Index for Proof of Collusion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190628135909/http://simonandschusterpublishing.com/downloadables/proof-of-collusion/abramson_collusion_index.pdf |date=June 28, 2019 }}.{{r|Collusion|p=14}}
• 2005: Trump gives Bayrock Group an exclusive deal to build a Trump-branded property in Moscow.{{cite web|title=Donald Trump And The Felon: Inside His Business Dealings With A Mob-Connected Hustler|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardbehar/2016/10/03/donald-trump-and-the-felon-inside-his-business-dealings-with-a-mob-connected-hustler/#21abb1522282|website=Forbes|date=October 25, 2016|access-date=March 6, 2018|last=Behar|first=Richard|archive-date=May 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530040918/https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardbehar/2016/10/03/donald-trump-and-the-felon-inside-his-business-dealings-with-a-mob-connected-hustler/#21abb1522282|url-status=live}}
• 2006: At Donald Trump's request, Sater accompanies Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. on a Moscow trip, and arranges for Ivanka to sit in Putin's office chair during a tour of the Kremlin.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-the-online-campaign-to-whitewash-donald-trumps-russian-business-ties |title=Inside the Online Campaign to Whitewash the History of Donald Trump's Russian Business Associates |first1=Lachlan |last1=Markay |first2=Dean Sterling |last2=Jones |date=July 5, 2018 |work=The Daily Beast |access-date=July 5, 2018 |archive-date=May 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520015511/https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-the-online-campaign-to-whitewash-donald-trumps-russian-business-ties |url-status=live }}{{r|Collusion|p=17}}
• November 2007: Trump attends the Millionaire's Fair in Moscow, where he announces that Trump Vodka will expand its distribution into Russia, his first foray into the Russian market.{{cite press release |title=Drinks Americas Makes Second Trump Super Premium Vodka Shipment to Russia |date=February 11, 2008 |location=Wilton, Connecticut |publisher=Drinks Americas |url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/drinks-americas-makes-second-trump-super-premium-vodka-shipment-to-russia-819712.htm |access-date=January 11, 2019 |archive-date=January 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112150032/http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/drinks-americas-makes-second-trump-super-premium-vodka-shipment-to-russia-819712.htm |url-status=live }}{{cite web|title=Investigators on the Trump-Russia Beat Should Talk to This Man|url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/01/donald-trump-russia-sergei-millian/|website=Mother Jones|date=January 19, 2017|access-date=January 11, 2019|last=Corn|first=David|author-link=David Corn|archive-date=April 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429174205/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/01/donald-trump-russia-sergei-millian/|url-status=live}}
• Around 2008: Trump Jr. travels to Russia a half-dozen times in 18 months, looking for deals.{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/11/30/trumps-russia-ties-new-scrutiny-amid-michael-cohen-plea/2149518002 |title=Trump's business ties to Russia stretch back more than 30 years, from big building projects to beauty pageants |author=Kim Hjelmgaard |date=November 30, 2018 |website=USA Today |access-date=December 3, 2018 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327164343/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/11/30/trumps-russia-ties-new-scrutiny-amid-michael-cohen-plea/2149518002/ |url-status=live }}
• July 2008: Trump sells the Palm Beach estate Maison de L'Amitie to Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev for a record $95 million. Trump bought the property for $41.35 million three years earlier and made only minor improvements.{{cite news |title=Divorce, Oligarch Style |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/realestate/big-deal-dmitry-rybolovlevs-divorce-oligarch-style.html |work=The New York Times |date=April 5, 2012 |access-date=March 6, 2018 |last=Barrionuevo |first=Alexei |archive-date=April 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407222949/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/realestate/big-deal-dmitry-rybolovlevs-divorce-oligarch-style.html?pagewanted=all |url-status=live }}
• September 2008: Trump Jr., then an executive vice president of The Trump Organization, says, "Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets, say, in Dubai, and certainly with our project in SoHo and anywhere in New York. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia."{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/07/trump-family-golf-courses-russia-funding-author-claims |title=Eric Trump said family golf courses attracted Russian funding, author claims |work=The Guardian |date=May 8, 2017 |last=Pengelly |first=Martin |access-date=August 15, 2019 |archive-date=April 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414061714/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/07/trump-family-golf-courses-russia-funding-author-claims |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.eturbonews.com/9788/executive-talk-donald-trump-jr-bullish-russia-and-few-emerging-ma |title=Executive Talk: Donald Trump Jr. bullish on Russia and few emerging markets |publisher=ETurboNews |date=September 15, 2008 |last=Heyer |first=Hazel |access-date=August 15, 2019 |archive-date=February 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223140230/https://www.eturbonews.com/9788/executive-talk-donald-trump-jr-bullish-russia-and-few-emerging-ma |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/thomasfrank/secret-money-how-trump-made-millions-selling-condos-to |title=Secret Money: How Trump Made Millions Selling Condos To Unknown Buyers |author=Thomas Frank |date=January 12, 2018 |website=BuzzFeed News |access-date=9 April 2019 |quote=And he told a New York conference in September 2008, "We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia." |author-link=Thomas Frank |archive-date=April 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416234600/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/thomasfrank/secret-money-how-trump-made-millions-selling-condos-to |url-status=live }}
• 2010: The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Toronto receives timely financing from Vnesheconombank (VEB), a Russian state-run investment bank.{{cite news |title=Russian State-Run Bank Financed Deal Involving Trump Hotel Partner |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-state-run-bank-financed-deal-involving-trump-hotel-partner-1495031708 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 17, 2017 |access-date=March 6, 2018 |last1=Barry |first1=Rob |last2=Stewart |first2=Christopher S. |last3=Forrest |first3=Brett |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531002029/https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-state-run-bank-financed-deal-involving-trump-hotel-partner-1495031708 |url-status=live }}

; 2013

• August: Eric Trump tells author James Dodson, "We don't rely on American banks [...] We have all the funding we need out of Russia", and says, "We go there all the time". In May 2017, Eric Trump calls this quote "fabricated" and an example of why people distrust the media.{{cite news |url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article150528622.html |title=Author who said Eric Trump told him Russians financed golf courses defends statement |first=Joseph |last=Marusak |date=May 14, 2017 |work=McClatchy DC |access-date=December 12, 2017 |archive-date=December 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213091921/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article150528622.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article150517907.html |title=Eric Trump said Russians financed golf courses, author insists |last=Marusak |first=Joe |date=May 15, 2017 |work=CharlotteObserver.com |access-date=December 12, 2017 |quote=That's when he said Eric Trump told him, "We have pretty much all the money we need from investors in Russia," Dodson said. ... "This story is completely fabricated and just another example of why there is such a deep distrust of the media in our country #FakeNews," Eric Trump said. |archive-date=December 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213084058/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article150517907.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2017/05/05/james-dodson-donald-trump-golf |title=A Day (And A Cheeseburger) With President Trump |first=Bill |last=Littlefield |date=May 11, 2017 |work=WBUR-FM |access-date=December 12, 2017 |quote=He said, 'Well, we don't rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia.' I said, 'Really?' And he said, 'Oh, yeah. We've got some guys that really, really love golf, and they're really invested in our programs. We just go there all the time.' Now that was [a little more than] three years ago, so it was pretty interesting." |archive-date=February 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215171247/https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2017/05/05/james-dodson-donald-trump-golf |url-status=live }}
• November 9–11: The Trump-owned Miss Universe pageant is held in Moscow, sponsored by Sberbank. According to various reports, the event's $20 million licensing fee is paid by a Moscow real estate development firm called the Crocus Group, whose president is Aras Agalarov and vice president is his son, pop singer Emin Agalarov.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/05/30/timeline-what-we-know-about-trumps-campaign-russia-and-the-investigation-of-the-two |title=Timeline: What we know about Trump's campaign, Russia and the investigation of the two |last=Bump |first=Philip |date=December 8, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 9, 2017 |language=en-US |archive-date=December 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223044046/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/05/30/timeline-what-we-know-about-trumps-campaign-russia-and-the-investigation-of-the-two/ |url-status=live }} One VIP guest is Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov, an alleged Russian mobster and fugitive who was recently indicted for running a high-stakes illegal gambling ring out of a Trump Tower apartment in New York City.{{cite web|title=How Did an Alleged Russian Mobster End Up on Trump's Red Carpet?|url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/09/trump-russian-mobster-tokhtakhounov-miss-universe-moscow/|website=Mother Jones|date=September 14, 2016|access-date=January 11, 2019|last1=Corn|first1=David|author-link=David Corn|last2=Levintova|first2=Hannah|archive-date=February 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211020922/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/09/trump-russian-mobster-tokhtakhounov-miss-universe-moscow/|url-status=live}} While Putin does not attend, the event is attended by Vladimir Kozhin, the head of the Kremlin's property department,{{cite news |title=Exclusive: Putin's ex-wife linked to multi-million-dollar property business |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-putin-foundation/exclusive-putins-ex-wife-linked-to-multi-million-dollar-property-business-idUSKCN18F0QX |work=Reuters |date=May 19, 2017 |access-date=March 6, 2018 |last=Reiter |first=Svetlana |archive-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813044057/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-putin-foundation/exclusive-putins-ex-wife-linked-to-multi-million-dollar-property-business-idUSKCN18F0QX |url-status=live }} which is responsible for development projects.{{cite news |title='Putin's people': The mysterious agency that guards the president's life |url=https://www.rbth.com/politics_and_society/2016/06/01/putins-people-the-mysterious-agency-that-guards-the-presidents-life_599181 |work=Russia Beyond |date=June 1, 2016 |access-date=March 6, 2018 |last=Sinelschikova |first=Yekaterina |archive-date=March 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307150954/https://www.rbth.com/politics_and_society/2016/06/01/putins-people-the-mysterious-agency-that-guards-the-presidents-life_599181 |url-status=live }} After the event, Trump tells Real Estate Weekly, "the Russian market is attracted to me. I have a great relationship with many Russians".{{cite news |title=Hotel trio aims to bring Manhattan to Moscow |url=http://rew-online.com/2013/11/12/hotel-trio-aims-to-bring-manhattan-to-moscow/ |date=November 12, 2013 |access-date=March 6, 2018 |last=Putzier |first=Konrad |work=Real Estate Weekly |archive-date=March 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306143705/http://rew-online.com/2013/11/12/hotel-trio-aims-to-bring-manhattan-to-moscow/ |url-status=live }} During the trip, Trump meets Herman Gref, the CEO of state-controlled Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, and other oligarchs close to Putin.{{cite web|title=Here's A Closer Look At Donald Trump's Disturbingly Deep Ties To Russia|url=http://fortune.com/2017/05/17/donald-trump-russia-2/|website=Fortune|date=May 17, 2017|access-date=January 8, 2019|last=Lichtman|first=Allan J.|author-link=Allan Lichtman|archive-date=January 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107221129/http://fortune.com/2017/05/17/donald-trump-russia-2/|url-status=live}} Agalarov and Gref co-host a dinner for Trump at the Moscow branch of Nobu, which is owned by Agalarov.{{cite news|title=A history of Donald Trump's business dealings in Russia|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-history-of-donald-trumps-business-dealings-in-russia/2017/11/02/fb8eed22-ba9e-11e7-be94-fabb0f1e9ffb_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=November 2, 2017|access-date=January 8, 2019|last=Ignatius|first=David|author-link=David Ignatius|archive-date=January 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108063730/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-history-of-donald-trumps-business-dealings-in-russia/2017/11/02/fb8eed22-ba9e-11e7-be94-fabb0f1e9ffb_story.html|url-status=live}} Afterwards, Trump tweets to Agalarov, "I had a great weekend with you and your family. You have done a FANTASTIC job. TRUMP TOWER-MOSCOW is next."{{cite tweet|title=@AgalarovAras I had a great weekend with you and your family. You have done a FANTASTIC job. TRUMP TOWER-MOSCOW is next. EMIN was WOW!|user=realDonaldTrump|author=Donald J. Trump|author-link=Donald Trump|date=November 11, 2013|access-date=January 9, 2019|number=399939505924628480}}
• November 12: The Moscow Times reports that Trump is in talks with Russian companies to build a new Trump tower in Moscow.{{cite news |title=Donald Trump Planning Skyscraper in Moscow |url=https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/donald-trump-planning-skyscraper-in-moscow-29441 |date=November 12, 2013 |access-date=March 6, 2018 |work=The Moscow Times |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224030222/https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/donald-trump-planning-skyscraper-in-moscow-29441 |url-status=live }}
• December 23: Trump, Trump Jr., Emin Agalarov, and Kaveladze reach an agreement for the Trump Tower Moscow project under which the Trump Organization would receive a 3.5% commission on all sales.{{Cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf |title=Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election |last=Mueller |first=Robert S. |author-link=Robert Mueller |work=Justice.gov |date=March 2019 |access-date=April 19, 2019 |archive-date=April 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419072437/https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf |url-status=live }}{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|pp=67–68}}

; 2014

• Before January 24: The Crocus Group sends The Trump Organization a proposal to build a 194-meter tall building with 800 units at the Crocus City site in Moscow where the Miss Universe pageant was held.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=68}}
• February 1–4: Kushner and Ivanka Trump travel to Russia on a four-day trip at the invitation of Dasha Zhukova, a longtime friend of Ivanka and the wife of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. They attend a gala fundraiser for the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow along with Vekselberg, other oligarchs, Russian government officials, and their families. Ivanka and Emin Agalarov tour the proposed Trump Tower Moscow site at Crocus City.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=68}} In 2016–17, Kushner omits the trip from his security clearance applications.{{cite web|title=Billionaire Ally of Putin Socialized With Kushner, Ivanka Trump|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-18/billionaire-ally-of-putin-socialized-with-kushner-ivanka-trump|website=Bloomberg LP|date=August 17, 2017|access-date=January 7, 2019|last1=Baker|first1=Stephanie|last2=Reznik|first2=Irina|last3=Kazakina|first3=Katya|last4=Rudnitsky|first4=Jake|last5=Silver|first5=Vernon|last6=Perlberg|first6=Heather|archive-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816034701/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-18/billionaire-ally-of-putin-socialized-with-kushner-ivanka-trump|via=Internet Archive}}
• June 3–16: Kaveladze emails Trump Jr. and others about design elements and architectural details for Trump Tower Moscow.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=68}}
• July 7: The Trump Organization sends Crocus Group a set of questions about the "demographics of these prospective buyers" in the area around the proposed Trump Tower Moscow site, the development of neighboring parcels, and concepts for redesigning portions of the building.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=68}}
• August 4: The Trump Organization requests from Crocus Group the specifications for a Marriott-branded tower under construction near Crocus City.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=68}}

; 2015

• September: A New York architect completes plans for a bold glass obelisk 100 stories high in Moscow, with the Trump logo on multiple sides.{{cite web |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/azeenghorayshi/here-are-the-trump-moscow-plans |title=Trump's Lawyer Said There Were "No Plans" For Trump Tower Moscow. Here They Are.; Rudy Giuliani claims the Moscow tower was barely more than a notion. "There were no drafts. Nothing in the file." Documents obtained by BuzzFeed News tell a different story. |author=Azeen Ghorayshi |date=January 22, 2019 |website=Buzzfeednews.com |access-date=January 24, 2019 |archive-date=January 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123201541/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/azeenghorayshi/here-are-the-trump-moscow-plans |url-status=live }}
• Late September: Felix Sater meets with Michael Cohen on behalf of I.C. Expert Investment Company to discuss building a Trump Tower in Moscow. I.C. Expert is a Russian real estate development corporation controlled by Andrei Vladimirovich Rozov. Sater agrees to find a developer and arrange for financing. Sater later contacts Rozov to propose that I.C. Expert work with the Trump Organization on the project.{{cite web|title=Trump Moscow: The Definitive Story Of How Trump's Team Worked|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/anthonycormier/trump-moscow-micheal-cohen-felix-sater-campaign|website=BuzzFeed News|date=May 17, 2018|access-date=December 1, 2018|last1=Cormier|first1=Anthony|author-link1=Anthony Cormier|last2=Leopold|first2=Jason|author-link2=Jason Leopold|archive-date=November 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130213227/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/anthonycormier/trump-moscow-micheal-cohen-felix-sater-campaign|url-status=live}}{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=69}}
• September 22: Cohen forwards a Trump Tower Moscow preliminary design study to Giorgi Rtskhiladze, who then emails it to his associate Simon Nizharadze, writing, "[i]f we could organize the meeting in New York at the highest level of the Russian Government and Mr. Trump this project would definitely receive the worldwide attention."{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=70}}
• September 24: Rtskhiladze emails Cohen a draft letter for the Trump Organization to send to the mayor of Moscow, explaining, "[w]e need to send this letter to the Mayor of Moscow (second guy in Russia) he is aware of the potential project and will pledge his support." Later that day he sends Cohen a translation of the letter that describes Trump Tower Moscow as a "symbol of stronger economic, business and cultural relationships between New York and Moscow and therefore United States and the Russian Federation."{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=70}}
• September 27: Rtskhiladze emails Cohen a proposal for the Trump Organization to partner with Global Development Group LLC on the Trump Tower Moscow project. He describes Global Development as controlled by Nizharadze and the architect Michail Posikhin. In September 2018 Cohen tells Mueller's team that he declined the proposal and decided to continue with Sater's proposed partner, I.C. Expert Investment Company.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|pp=69–70}}
• October 9: Sater emails Cohen about his plans to meet with and persuade Andrey Molchanov to provide the land for a Trump Tower in Moscow.
• October 12: Cohen has a series of email exchanges with Felix Sater about developing a Trump property in Moscow.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/09/20/us/politics/russia-trump-election-timeline.html |title=A Timeline Showing the Full Scale of Russia's Unprecedented Interference in the 2016 Election, and Its Aftermath |first1=Karen |last1=Yourish |first2=Larry |last2=Buchanan |first3=Derek |last3=Watkins |date=September 20, 2018 |website=The New York Times |access-date=September 20, 2018 |archive-date=September 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920091110/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/09/20/us/politics/russia-trump-election-timeline.html |url-status=live }}
• July 24: Rob Goldstone emails Trump's assistant Rhona Graff, suggesting that Emin Agalarov could arrange a meeting between Putin and Trump. Sater tells Cohen that VTB Bank will fund the project, and that his associates will be meeting with Putin and a deputy on October 14.
• October 13: Sater sends Cohen a letter of intent signed by Andrey Rozov for Trump to sign in order to move the Moscow project forward.{{cite web|last=Bertrand|first=Natasha|author-link=Natasha Bertrand|date=September 8, 2017|title='Help world peace and make a lot of money': Here's the letter of intent to build a Trump Tower Moscow|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tower-moscow-letter-of-intent-2017-9|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202060550/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tower-moscow-letter-of-intent-2017-9|archive-date=December 2, 2018|access-date=December 1, 2018|website=Business Insider}}
• October 28: Trump signs a letter of intent {LOI} to construct a Trump-branded building in Moscow hours before the third Republican presidential debate, a fact made public in August 2017.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/ryan-lizza/trumps-real-estate-ambitions-in-moscow|title=Trump's Real Estate-Interests in Russia|date=August 29, 2017|magazine=The New Yorker|last=Lizza|first=Ryan|author-link=Ryan Lizza|access-date=August 15, 2019|archive-date=September 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901202622/https://www.newyorker.com/news/ryan-lizza/trumps-real-estate-ambitions-in-moscow|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-business-sought-deal-on-a-trump-tower-in-moscow-while-he-ran-for-president/2017/08/27/d6e95114-8b65-11e7-91d5-ab4e4bb76a3a_story.html|title=Trump's business sought deal on a Trump Tower in Moscow while he ran for president|date=August 27, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|last1=Leonnig|first1=Carol D.|author-link1=Carol D. Leonnig|last2=Hamburger|first2=Tom|last3=Helderman|first3=Rosalind S.|access-date=August 15, 2019|archive-date=September 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901054819/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-business-sought-deal-on-a-trump-tower-in-moscow-while-he-ran-for-president/2017/08/27/d6e95114-8b65-11e7-91d5-ab4e4bb76a3a_story.html|url-status=live |id={{Gale|A501979439}} }}{{cite web|title=Letter of intent for Trump Moscow Project|url=http://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2018/images/12/18/attachment.1.pdf|website=CNN|access-date=January 10, 2019|date=October 28, 2015|author=Trump Acquisition, LLC|archive-date=January 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119073104/http://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2018/images/12/18/attachment.1.pdf|url-status=live}} The LOI proposes that the tower have "[a]pproximately 250 first class, luxury residential condominiums" and "[o]ne first class, luxury hotel consisting of approximately 15 floors and containing not fewer than 150 hotel rooms." The Trump Organization would receive 1–5% of all condominium sales and 3% of all rental and other revenues, and 20% of the operating profit.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=71}}
• November: Trump associate Felix Sater emails Trump lawyer Michael Cohen: "Michael, I arranged for Ivanka to sit in Putin's private chair at his desk and office in the Kremlin [...] Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it. I will get all of Putin's team to buy in on this".{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/us/politics/trump-tower-putin-felix-sater.html|title=Felix Sater, Trump Associate, Boasted That Moscow Business Deal 'Will Get Donald Elected'|date=August 28, 2017|work=The New York Times|last1=Apuzzo|first1=Matt|author-link1=Matt Apuzzo|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|author-link2=Maggie Haberman|access-date=August 15, 2019|archive-date=April 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413065215/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/us/politics/trump-tower-putin-felix-sater.html|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |last=Toobin |first=Jeffrey |author-link=Jeffrey Toobin |title=Trump's Miss Universe Gambit |magazine=The New Yorker |date=February 19, 2018 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/26/trumps-miss-universe-gambit |access-date=February 27, 2018 |archive-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330193214/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/26/trumps-miss-universe-gambit |url-status=live }} Sater also tells Cohen that the Kremlin's VTB Bank is ready to finance a Trump Tower project in Moscow.{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/2017/12/29/donald-trump-russia-secret-deutsche-bank-753780.html |title=Is Donald Trump's Dark Russian Secret Hiding in Deutsche Bank's Vaults? |work=Newsweek |first=Luke |last=Harding |author-link=Luke Harding |date=December 21, 2017 |access-date=January 6, 2018 |archive-date=January 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106062826/http://www.newsweek.com/2017/12/29/donald-trump-russia-secret-deutsche-bank-753780.html |url-status=live }}
• November 3: In an email to Cohen, Sater predicts that building a Trump Tower in Moscow will help Trump's presidential campaign. "I will get Putin on this program and we will get Donald elected."
• November 18: IC Expert, the developer for the Trump Tower Moscow project and a signatory to Trump's letter of intent, receives a non-revolving line of credit from Sberbank for 10.6 billion rubles.{{cite web|title=Exclusive: Developer Of Trump Tower Moscow Received Loan From Sanctioned Sberbank Three Weeks After Signing Letter Of Intent|url=https://medium.com/@ScottMStedman/exclusive-developer-of-trump-tower-moscow-received-loan-from-sanctioned-sberbank-three-weeks-after-df582c22eb72|website=Medium|date=December 1, 2017|access-date=January 8, 2019|last=Stedman|first=Scott|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109062835/https://medium.com/@ScottMStedman/exclusive-developer-of-trump-tower-moscow-received-loan-from-sanctioned-sberbank-three-weeks-after-df582c22eb72|url-status=live}} IC Expert provides 100% of its equity to secure the line of credit. Sberbank agrees to finance 70% of the project, its largest commercial real estate loan to date.{{cite magazine |title=How Putin's Oligarchs Got Inside the Trump Team |url=https://time.com/5401645/putins-oligarchs/ |magazine=Time |last1=Shuster |first1=Simon |date=September 28, 2018 |access-date=May 11, 2019 |archive-date=May 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508044045/http://time.com/5401645/putins-oligarchs/ |url-status=live }}
• November 19: Kolokov writes in an email to Cohen that a properly publicized meeting between Trump and Putin could have a "phenomenal" impact "in a business dimension" and boost the "level" of projects if he receives Putin's endorsement.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=73–74}} Cohen rejects Kolokov's offers, writing, "[c]urrently our LOI developer is in talks with VP's Chief of Staff and arranging a formal invite for the two to meet."{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=74}}{{cite web|title=Ivanka Trump Was In Contact With A Russian Who Offered A Trump-Putin Meeting|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/anthonycormier/ivanka-trump-putin-moscow-meeting-michael-cohen-tower|website=Buzzfeed News|date=June 6, 2018|access-date=June 8, 2018|last1=Cormier|first1=Anthony|author-link1=Anthony Cormier|last2=Leopold|first2=Jason|last3=Loop|first3=Emma|author-link2=Jason Leopold|archive-date=June 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608015036/https://www.buzzfeed.com/anthonycormier/ivanka-trump-putin-moscow-meeting-michael-cohen-tower|url-status=live}} In September 2018, Cohen tells Mueller's team that he rejected the offers because he was already pursuing business with Sater and understood Sater had Russian government connections of his own.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=74}}
• December 2: Trump tells the Associated Press that he is "not that familiar with" Felix Sater and refers questions to his staff.{{cite web|title=Trump picked Mafia-linked stock fraud felon as senior adviser|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-felix-sater-felon-adviser-20151204-story.html|website=Chicago Tribune|date=December 4, 2015|access-date=December 2, 2018|author=Tribune Wire Reports|agency=Associated Press|archive-date=December 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202155109/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-felix-sater-felon-adviser-20151204-story.html|url-status=live}}
• December 10: ABC News reports that Trump denied knowing Sater under oath in a 2013 video deposition even though Sater was involved in several of his high-profile projects. Trump testified, "If he were sitting in the room right now, I really wouldn't know what he looked like." On December 30, Sater tells Cohen that he helped bury the story.{{cite web|title=2013: Donald Trump Asked About Past Mob Ties of Associate Involved in Trump Projects|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/video/2013-donald-trump-asked-past-mob-ties-associate-35688372|website=ABC News|date=December 10, 2015|access-date=December 3, 2018|format=video|archive-date=December 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204005959/https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/video/2013-donald-trump-asked-past-mob-ties-associate-35688372|url-status=live}}
• December 19: In an email to Cohen, Sater talks about securing financing from VTB, a Russian bank under American sanctions.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=76}} Sater also asks for Cohen's and Trump's passport information so that VTB can facilitate obtaining visas.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=76}} VTB would be issuing the invitation, he writes, because "[p]olitically neither Putins office nor Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot issue invite, so they are inviting commercially/ business."{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=76}} He writes that they will be invited to the Russian consulate that week to receive an invitation and visas for traveling to Russia.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=76}} Cohen sends images of his own passport but not Trump's.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/29/events-that-lead-trumps-abandoned-moscow-deal-michael-cohens-latest-plea-agreement/|title=The events that led to Trump's abandoned Moscow deal and Michael Cohen's latest plea agreement|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=November 29, 2018|access-date=December 2, 2018|last=Bump|first=Phillip|archive-date=December 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202044542/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/29/events-that-lead-trumps-abandoned-moscow-deal-michael-cohens-latest-plea-agreement/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=How a Lawyer, a Felon and a Russian General Chased a Moscow Trump Tower Deal|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/29/us/politics/trump-russia-felix-sater-michael-cohen.html|website=The New York Times|date=November 29, 2018|access-date=December 2, 2018|last1=McIntire|first1=Mike|last2=Twohey|first2=Megan|last3=Mazzetti|first3=Mark|author-link2=Megan Twohey|author-link3=Mark Mazzetti|archive-date=December 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201220531/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/29/us/politics/trump-russia-felix-sater-michael-cohen.html|url-status=live}}{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=76}}
• December 21: Sater texts Cohen asking again for a copy of Trump's passport.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=77}} Cohen replies, "After I return from Moscow with you with a date for him."{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=77}} In September 2018 Cohen tells Mueller's team that Rhona Graff provided Trump's passport to Cohen's office, but the Mueller Report says the team could not find any evidence of a copy being sent to Sater.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=76–77}}
• December 30: Cohen emails Sater complaining about the lack of progress on the Trump Tower Moscow project. Sater responds that he helped bury an ABC News story in which Trump denied knowing him.{{cite web|title=Memory Lapse? Trump Seeks Distance From 'Advisor' With Past Ties to Mafia|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/memory-lapse-trump-seeks-distance-advisor-past-ties/story?id=34600826|website=ABC News|date=December 10, 2015|access-date=December 2, 2018|last1=Mosk|first1=Matthew|last2=Ross|first2=Brian|author-link2=Brian Ross (journalist)|archive-date=April 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414092015/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/memory-lapse-trump-seeks-distance-advisor-past-ties/story?id=34600826|url-status=live}} Cohen tells Sater in a text message that he will set up a meeting with Russian government officials himself."{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=74}}
• December 31: Sater tells Cohen that Genbank ({{ill|Генбанк|ru}}), recently put under U.S. sanctions, will be the new funder for the Trump Tower Moscow project.
• Late 2015 – early 2016: Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump are included on emails about the Trump Tower Moscow project. Ivanka Trump recommends an architect.{{cite web|title=Cohen Says Trump Remained Involved in Moscow Tower Project During Campaign|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/cohen-says-trump-stayed-involved-in-moscow-tower-project-during-campaign-1543539269|website=The Wall Street Journal|date=November 29, 2018|access-date=December 3, 2018|last1=Hong|first1=Nicole|last2=Ballhaus|first2=Rebecca|last3=Rothfeld|first3=Michael|url-access=subscription|archive-date=December 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203054337/https://www.wsj.com/articles/cohen-says-trump-stayed-involved-in-moscow-tower-project-during-campaign-1543539269|url-status=live}}

; 2016

• January 14: Cohen emails Peskov atinfo@prpress.gov.ru seeking help to jump-start the Trump Tower Moscow project because "the communication between our two sides has stalled", but does not receive a response.{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/30/politics/russia-peskov-trump-lawyer-email/index.html|title=Trump Jr. to testify in private before Senate Judiciary Committee: report|date=August 30, 2017|publisher=CNN|last1=Dougherty|first1=Jill|last2=Mortensen|first2=Antonia|last3=Smith-Spark|first3=Laura|access-date=August 15, 2019|archive-date=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810232156/https://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/30/politics/russia-peskov-trump-lawyer-email/index.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Top Trump Organization executive asked Putin aide for help on business deal|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-trump-organization-executive-reached-out-to-putin-aide-for-help-on-business-deal/2017/08/28/095aebac-8c16-11e7-84c0-02cc069f2c37_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 28, 2017|access-date=March 26, 2018|last1=Helderman|first1=Rosalind S.|last2=Leonnig|first2=Carol D.|last3=Hamburger|first3=Tom|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209194341/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-trump-organization-executive-reached-out-to-putin-aide-for-help-on-business-deal/2017/08/28/095aebac-8c16-11e7-84c0-02cc069f2c37_story.html|url-status=live}}{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=74}} In August 2017 Peskov tells CNN that Cohen's email "went unanswered [because it] was solely regarding a real estate deal and nothing more."
• January 16: Cohen emails at Peskov at Pr_peskov@prpress.gov.ru, the correct address he mistyped on January 11, and repeats his request to speak with Ivanov.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=74}} Later Cohen tells Congress and Mueller's team that he received no response to this email and abandoned the Trump Moscow Project. He later admits to federal prosecutors that he did receive a response and continued working on the project and keeping Trump updated on progress into June 2016.{{cite web |url=https://www.vox.com/world/2018/11/30/18119670/michael-cohen-trump-tower-moscow-explained |title=Why Michael Cohen's Trump Tower Moscow revelation matters, in under 500 words; A small guide to a really big deal. |author=Alex Ward |date=November 30, 2018 |website=Vox |access-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-date=December 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201000419/https://www.vox.com/world/2018/11/30/18119670/michael-cohen-trump-tower-moscow-explained |url-status=live }}{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=74–75}}
• January 20: Peskov's personal assistant Elena Polikova sends an email to Cohen from her personal account asking him to call her on her personal phone number, which she provides.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=75}} Cohen calls her and explains the nature and status of the project, and asks for assistance with securing land and financing.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=75}} The conversation includes a discussion of giving Putin a $50 million penthouse in the tower as a gift. Later Cohen tells prosecutors that Polikova took notes, asked detailed questions, and said she needed to follow up with people in Russia.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=75}}
• January 21: Sater texts Cohen asking for a call. He writes, "It's about Putin they called today."{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=75}} Sater emails Cohen a draft invitation from Genbank for Cohen to visit Russia, which Sater says is being offered at the behest of VTB, and asks Cohen if any changes need to be made.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=75}} Sater and Cohen work on edits for the next few days.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=75}}
• January 25: Sater sends Cohen a signed invitation from Andrey Ryabinskiy of the company MHJ to travel to "Moscow for a working visit" about the "prospects of development and the construction business in Russia," "the various land plots available suited for construction of this enormous Tower," and "the opportunity to co-ordinate a follow-up visit to Moscow by Mr. Donald Trump."{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=75}} In September 2018 Cohen tells Mueller's team that he didn't use the invitation to travel to Moscow because he didn't receive any concrete proposals for suitable land plots.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=75-76}}
• January 26: Sater asks Cohen to take a call from Evgeny Shmykov, who is coordinating their project in Moscow. Cohen agrees.
• February 2: Trump comes in second in the Iowa caucuses. In 2017 Cohen asserts that all efforts on the Trump Tower Moscow project ended before this date.
• April 20: Sater texts Cohen asking when he is going to travel to Moscow.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=77}}
• May 4: Sater texts Cohen asking when he will be traveling to Moscow. He writes that he set expectations in Russia that it would probably be after the convention. Cohen responds that he expects to travel before the convention, and that Trump will travel after he becomes the nominee.{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=77}}{{cite web|title=The Trump Organization Planned To Give Vladimir Putin The $50 Million Penthouse In Trump Tower Moscow|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/anthonycormier/the-trump-organization-planned-to-give-vladimir-putin-the|website=BuzzFeed News|date=November 29, 2018|access-date=November 29, 2018|last1=Cormier|first1=Anthony|author-link1=Anthony Cormier|last2=Leopold|first2=Jason|author-link2=Jason Leopold|archive-date=November 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129230350/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/anthonycormier/the-trump-organization-planned-to-give-vladimir-putin-the|url-status=live}}
• May 5: Sater texts Cohen that Peskov would like to invite him to the St. Petersburg Forum June 16–19 and possibly meet Putin or Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. He continues, "He said anything you want to discuss including dates and subjects are on the table to discuss."{{r|MUELLER-REPORT-VOL-I|p=77}}
• May 22: Politico reports on Trump's past associations and dealings with the American Mafia and other criminal figures, including Sater.{{cite web|title=Just What Were Donald Trump's Ties to the Mob?|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/05/donald-trump-2016-mob-organized-crime-213910|website=Politico|date=May 22, 2016|access-date=December 3, 2018|last=Johnston|first=David Cay|author-link=David Cay Johnston|archive-date=December 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204012252/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/05/donald-trump-2016-mob-organized-crime-213910|url-status=live}}
• June: A former GRU officer arranges for Felix Sater and Michael Cohen to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which Putin regularly attends. Sater wants to use the trip to push forward the Moscow Trump Tower deal. Cohen cancels at the last minute. Sater does not attend the forum.{{cite web|title=A Former Russian Spy Worked On A Trump Moscow Deal During The Presidential Campaign|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/jasonleopold/donald-trump-russian-spy-moscow-gru-felix-sater|date=April 13, 2018|access-date=June 29, 2018|last1=Leopold|first1=Jason|author-link=Jason Leopold|last2=Cormier|first2=Anthony|author-link2=Anthony Cormier|last3=Loop|first3=Emma|website=BuzzFeed|archive-date=April 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413215850/https://www.buzzfeed.com/jasonleopold/donald-trump-russian-spy-moscow-gru-felix-sater|url-status=live}}
• June 14: Sater meets Cohen in the Trump Tower lobby. Cohen tells him he will not be traveling to Russia (two days before planned departure).{{cite news |url=https://www.vox.com/world/2018/11/29/18117910/michael-cohen-trump-tower-moscow-mueller |title=Trump Tower Moscow, and Michael Cohen's lies about it, explained; Everything you need to know about Trump's efforts to do business in Russia. |first=Alex |last=Ward |date=November 29, 2018 |work=Vox Media |access-date=December 3, 2018 |archive-date=December 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201051201/https://www.vox.com/world/2018/11/29/18117910/michael-cohen-trump-tower-moscow-mueller |url-status=live }}
• July 19: Steele files a dossier memo alleging that during his Moscow trip, Page secretly met Rosneft chairman Igor Sechin, together with a "senior Kremlin Internal Affairs official, DIVYEKIN", that Sechin offered Trump a 19% stake in Rosneft (worth about $11 billion) in exchange for lifting the sanctions against Russia after his election, and that Page confirmed, on Trump's "full authority", that he intended to lift the sanctions.{{cite news |last=Prokop |first=Andrew |title=Carter Page, the star of the Nunes memo, explained |work=Vox |date=February 2, 2018 |url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/2/16956014/nunes-memo-carter-page |access-date=April 13, 2018 |archive-date=February 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225064606/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/2/16956014/nunes-memo-carter-page |url-status=live }}{{cite news|last=Bertrand|first=Natasha|author-link=Natasha Bertrand|date=November 6, 2017|title=Carter Page's testimony is filled with bombshells – and supports key portions of the Steele dossier|work=Business Insider|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/carter-page-congressional-testimony-transcript-steele-dossier-2017-11|url-status=live|access-date=December 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229144016/http://www.businessinsider.com/carter-page-congressional-testimony-transcript-steele-dossier-2017-11|archive-date=December 29, 2017}}{{cite news |last=Weindling |first=Jacob |title=The 31 Most Explosive Allegations against Trump from the Leaked Intelligence Document |website=Paste |date=January 11, 2017 |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/01/the-31-most-explosive-allegations-against-trump-fr.html |access-date=December 29, 2017 |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101140032/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/01/the-31-most-explosive-allegations-against-trump-fr.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news | last1=Withnall | first1=Adam | last2=Sengupta | first2=Kim | title=The 10 key Donald Trump allegations from the classified Russia memos | work=The Independent | date=January 12, 2017 | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-russia-10-allegations-dossier-kremlin-michael-cohen-sex-claims-intelligence-reports-a7522056.html | access-date=December 29, 2017 | archive-date=January 1, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101194355/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-russia-10-allegations-dossier-kremlin-michael-cohen-sex-claims-intelligence-reports-a7522056.html | url-status=live }}{{cite news|last=Bertrand|first=Natasha|author-link=Natasha Bertrand|date=January 27, 2017|title=Memos: CEO of Russia's state oil company offered Trump adviser, allies a cut of huge deal if sanctions were lifted|work=Business Insider|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/carter-page-trump-russia-igor-sechin-dossier-2017-1|url-status=live|access-date=December 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230230947/http://www.businessinsider.com/carter-page-trump-russia-igor-sechin-dossier-2017-1|archive-date=December 30, 2017}}{{cite news | last=Tracy | first=Abigail | date=November 7, 2017 | title=Is Carter Page Digging the Trump Administration's Grave? Three things the former campaign adviser revealed to Congress that should scare the White House. | work=Vanity Fair | url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/11/carter-page-hearing-donald-trump-russia | access-date=December 29, 2017 | archive-date=December 24, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224193603/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/11/carter-page-hearing-donald-trump-russia | url-status=live }}
• July 26: Trump denies having any investments in Russia.{{cite tweet| number=758071952498159616|author=Donald J. Trump|user=realDonaldTrump|date=July 26, 2016|access-date=December 3, 2018|title=For the record, I have ZERO investments in Russia.|author-link=Donald Trump}}
• July 27: Trump tells a CBS affiliate in Miami, "I have nothing to do with Russia. Nothing to do. I never met Putin. I have nothing to do with Russia whatsoever." This contradicts his many claims since 2013 to have met Putin and done business in Russia.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-a-personal-letter-trump-invited-putin-to-the-2013-miss-universe-pageant/2018/03/09/a3404358-23d2-11e8-a589-763893265565_story.html |title=In a personal letter, Trump invited Putin to the 2013 Miss Universe pageant |last1=Harris |first1=Shane |date=March 9, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=March 10, 2018 |last2=Helderman |first2=Rosalind S. |language=en-US |last3=Demirjian |first3=Karoun |archive-date=March 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310004813/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-a-personal-letter-trump-invited-putin-to-the-2013-miss-universe-pageant/2018/03/09/a3404358-23d2-11e8-a589-763893265565_story.html |url-status=live }}
• August 13: Russian-American Simon Kukes attends a $25,000-per-ticket Trump fundraising dinner at the home of Woody Johnson in New York. Kukes's 2016 political donations become a subject of the Mueller investigation.{{cite web|title=Russian-US tycoon boasted of 'active' involvement in Trump election campaign|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/28/russian-us-tycoon-boasted-of-active-involvement-in-trump-election-campaign-simon-kukes|website=The Guardian|date=September 28, 2018|access-date=September 28, 2018|last=Harding|first=Luke|author-link=Luke Harding|archive-date=September 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928131917/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/28/russian-us-tycoon-boasted-of-active-involvement-in-trump-election-campaign-simon-kukes|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/big-donor-trump-campaign-made-overture-top-russian-official-boasting-n913791 |title=Big donor to Trump campaign made overture to top Russian official, boasting of connections; The businessman, who donated $273,000 in 2016, wanted a face-to-face meeting with a Russian official |author=Richard Engel |author2=Kate Benyon-Tinker |author3=Charlotte Gardiner |author4=Kennett Werner |date=September 28, 2018 |work=NBC News |access-date=September 30, 2018 |archive-date=September 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929200116/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/big-donor-trump-campaign-made-overture-top-russian-official-boasting-n913791 |url-status=live }}
• October 8: Kushner's company receives $370 million in new loans, including $285 million from Deutsche Bank, to refinance his portion of the former New York Times building. The size and timing of the Deutsche Bank loan draws scrutiny from the House Financial Services Committee, the Justice Department, and, later, the Mueller investigation. The concern is that the transaction may be related to Russian money laundering through Deutsche Bank.{{cite news|title=Kushner firm's $285 million Deutsche Bank loan came just before Election Day|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/kushner-firms-285-million-deutsche-bank-loan-came-just-before-election-day/2017/06/25/984f3acc-4f88-11e7-b064-828ba60fbb98_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=June 25, 2017|access-date=March 30, 2018|last=Kranish|first=Michael|archive-date=June 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626020459/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/kushner-firms-285-million-deutsche-bank-loan-came-just-before-election-day/2017/06/25/984f3acc-4f88-11e7-b064-828ba60fbb98_story.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/business/kushner-deutsche-bank-subpoena.html |title=Prosecutors Said to Seek Kushner Records From Deutsche Bank |last1=Protess |first1=Ben |date=December 22, 2017 |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 23, 2017 |last2=Silver-Greenberg |first2=Jessica |language=en-US |last3=Enrich |first3=David |archive-date=December 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222235636/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/business/kushner-deutsche-bank-subpoena.html |url-status=live }}
• October 11: Trump Jr. travels to Paris to give a paid speech at the Ritz Hotel. The dinner event is sponsored by the Center of Political and Foreign Affairs, a group founded by Fabien Baussart and his business partner. Baussart is openly linked to Russian government officials. Randa Kassis, one of the hosts, travels to Moscow after the election and reports the details of the event to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.{{cite web|title=For Donald Trump Jr., lingering questions about meeting with pro-Russia group|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-jr-lingering-questions-meeting-pro-russia-group/story?id=45858839|website=ABC News|date=March 2, 2017|access-date=March 27, 2018|last1=Ross|first1=Brian|last2=Mosk|first2=Matthew|last3=Momtaz|first3=Rym|archive-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327144753/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-jr-lingering-questions-meeting-pro-russia-group/story?id=45858839|url-status=live}}
• October 15: The National Security Division of the Justice Department acquires a FISA warrant to monitor the communications of two Russian banks as part of an investigation into whether they illegally transferred money to the Trump campaign.{{cite web|title=Trump 'compromising' claims: How and why did we get here?|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38589427|date=January 12, 2017|access-date=September 22, 2018|last=Wood|first=Paul|author-link=Paul Wood (journalist)|website=BBC News|archive-date=September 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921150914/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38589427|url-status=live}}
• October 30: Cohen and Giorgi Rtskhiladze exchange text messages in which they discuss suppressing tapes of Trump's 2013 trip to Moscow rumored to be in the possession of Aras Agalarov's company, {{ill|Crocus Group|ru}}. In May 2018 Rtskhiladze tells Mueller's team that he was told the tapes were fake but did not relay that information to Cohen.{{Cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf |title=Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election Volume II |last=Mueller III |first=Robert S. |author-link=Robert Mueller |work=Justice.gov |date=March 2019 |access-date=April 19, 2019 |archive-date=April 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419072437/https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf |url-status=live }}{{rp|27–28}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-24/rtskhiladze-cohen-trump-russia-tapes |title=Georgian Businessman Offers More Texts With Cohen to Rebut Mueller Footnote |last1=Baker |first1=Stephanie |last2=Bedwell |first2=Helena |date=April 24, 2019 |website=Bloomberg LP |access-date=April 25, 2019 |archive-date=April 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425092618/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-24/rtskhiladze-cohen-trump-russia-tapes |url-status=live }}
• October 31:
• Mother Jones magazine's David Corn reports that a veteran spy, later publicly identified as Steele, gave the FBI information alleging a Russian operation to cultivate Trump, later known as the "Steele dossier".{{cite web |last=Corn |first=David |author-link=David Corn |date=October 31, 2016 |title=A Veteran Spy Has Given the FBI Information Alleging a Russian Operation to Cultivate Donald Trump |work=Mother Jones |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/veteran-spy-gave-fbi-info-alleging-russian-operation-cultivate-donald-trump |access-date=December 19, 2017 |archive-date=January 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111222002/http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/veteran-spy-gave-fbi-info-alleging-russian-operation-cultivate-donald-trump |url-status=live }}
• Slate publishes an article by Franklin Foer alleging that a Trump server was in suspicious contact with Alfa-Bank in Russia.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2016/10/was_a_server_registered_to_the_trump_organization_communicating_with_russia.html |title=Was a Trump Server Communicating With Russia? |first=Franklin |last=Foer |date=October 31, 2016 |magazine=Slate |access-date=19 October 2018 |archive-date=August 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817145936/http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2016/10/was_a_server_registered_to_the_trump_organization_communicating_with_russia.html |url-status=live }}

;2017

• February 9: Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduces a resolution of inquiry in relation to possible crimes relating to Trump's financial dealings or collusion with Russia.{{cite web |url=https://www.countable.us/articles/237-preliminary-impeachment-inquiry-filed-president-trump |title=Preliminary Impeachment Inquiry Filed Against President Trump |website=Countable.us |date=February 9, 2017 |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-date=July 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704080259/https://www.countable.us/articles/237-preliminary-impeachment-inquiry-filed-president-trump |url-status=live }}
• March 10: Trump fires 46 U.S. Attorneys, including Preet Bharara, whom Trump had recently told could keep his job.{{cite web|title=Trump Abruptly Orders 46 Obama-Era Prosecutors to Resign|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/us/politics/us-attorney-justice-department-trump.html|website=The New York Times|date=March 10, 2017|access-date=March 19, 2018|last1=Savage|first1=Charlie|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|archive-date=May 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517002910/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/us/politics/us-attorney-justice-department-trump.html|url-status=live}} Bharara had been prosecuting a money-laundering case against the Russian company Prevezon. Prevezon's attorney in the case is Natalia Veselnitskaya.{{cite web|title=Trump's Latest Russia Conspiracy Busted – Why the Feds Settled the Prevezon Case|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-latest-russia-conspiracy-busted-why-the-feds-settled-the-prevezon-case|website=The Daily Beast|date=July 17, 2017|access-date=March 19, 2018|last=Siegel|first=Harry|archive-date=March 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322083520/https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-latest-russia-conspiracy-busted-why-the-feds-settled-the-prevezon-case|url-status=live}} The company reaches a financial settlement with the government on May 15, 2017, two days before the trial was scheduled to start.{{cite web|title=Businessman Allegedly Tied to Russian Treasury Fraud Agrees to Settle $6M Judgment|url=https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2018/03/08/businessman-allegedly-tied-to-russian-treasury-fraud-agrees-to-settle-6m-judgment/|website=New York Law Journal|date=March 8, 2018|access-date=March 19, 2018|last=Denney|first=Andrew|archive-date=March 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320110158/https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2018/03/08/businessman-allegedly-tied-to-russian-treasury-fraud-agrees-to-settle-6m-judgment/|url-status=live}}
• May 23: Maxine Waters, ranking member of the House Committee on Financial Services, requests Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to release to the House Financial Services Committee any Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) records involving Deutsche Bank, Russia and Donald Trump.{{cite web|url=https://democrats-financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400482|title=Committee Democrats to Treasury: Provide Information on Trump's Financial Ties with Russia to Our Committee|date=May 23, 2017|publisher=House Committee on Financial Services – Democrats|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-date=November 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065715/https://democrats-financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400482|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://wallstreetonparade.com/2018/03/the-deutsche-bank-trump-connection-why-house-probe-abruptly-shut-down/|title=The Deutsche Bank-Trump Connection: Why House Probe Abruptly Shut Down|date=March 14, 2018|publisher=Wall Street on Parade|last1=Martens|first1=Paul|last2=Martens|first2=Russ|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-date=November 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065524/http://wallstreetonparade.com/2018/03/the-deutsche-bank-trump-connection-why-house-probe-abruptly-shut-down/|url-status=live}}
• May 30: CNN reports on leaked intercepts of conversations between Kremlin officials discussing their potential influence on some Trump campaign members, including financial matters.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/30/politics/russians-trump-campaign-information/index.html|title=Sources: Russians discussed potentially 'derogatory' information about Trump and associates during campaign|last1=Brown|first1=Pamela Brown|first2=Jim|last2=Sciutto|first3=Dana|last3=Bash|last4=Cohen|first4=Marshall|author-link1=Pamela Brown (journalist)|author-link2=Jim Sciutto|author-link3=Dana Bash|publisher=CNN|access-date=May 31, 2017|date=May 30, 2017|archive-date=May 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531000947/http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/30/politics/russians-trump-campaign-information/index.html|url-status=live}}

;2018

• January 19: German periodical Manager Magazin reports that Deutsche Bank has presented to Germany's financial authority, BaFin, evidence of "suspicious money transfers" by Kushner; this information is due to be handed to Mueller.{{Cite news |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/deutsche-bank-investigating-jared-kushner-his-companies-for-suspicious-money-transfers/ar-AAuT87P |title=Deutsche Bank Investigating Jared Kushner, His Companies For Suspicious Money Transfers |publisher=International Business Times/Yahoo |date=January 19, 2018 |last=Radesh |first=Sundeep Kavanal |access-date=August 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119235309/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/deutsche-bank-investigating-jared-kushner-his-companies-for-suspicious-money-transfers/ar-AAuT87P |archive-date=January 19, 2018 }} Deutsche Bank denies the report on January 22 and announces that it is taking legal action.{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-deutsche-bank-report/deutsche-bank-denies-manager-magazin-report-on-kushner-idUSKBN1FB1SG |title=Deutsche Bank denies Manager Magazin report on Kushner |date=January 23, 2018 |website=Reuters |first=Tom |last=Sims |access-date=August 16, 2019 |archive-date=August 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816005236/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-deutsche-bank-report/deutsche-bank-denies-manager-magazin-report-on-kushner-idUSKBN1FB1SG |url-status=live }}
• February 12: Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, asks the Treasury Department for documentation related to Trump's 2008 sale of an uninhabitable Palm Beach mansion to Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev.{{Cite news|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article199726004.html|title=A Russian oligarch bought a mansion from Trump. A senator wants details on the deal.|work=mcclatchydc|access-date=February 13, 2018|language=en|date=February 12, 2018|last=Rothacker|first=Rick|archive-date=February 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213080332/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article199726004.html|url-status=live}}

;2019

• April 15: The House Intelligence and Financial Services committees issue subpoenas to Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citigroup demanding documents related to Trump and possible money laundering by people in Russia and Eastern Europe.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/business/deutsche-bank-trump-finances-congress.html |title=Deutsche Bank Is Subpoenaed for Trump Records by House Democrats |last1=Flitter |first1=Emily |last2=Enrich |first2=David |author-link2=David Enrich |date=April 15, 2019 |website=The New York Times |access-date=April 15, 2019 |archive-date=April 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415231330/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/business/deutsche-bank-trump-finances-congress.html |url-status=live }}
• April 17: Along with the four banks reported subpoenaed April 15, additionally Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo & Co, Capital One Financial Corp., Royal Bank of Canada, and Toronto Dominion Bank are subpoenaed in Trump finance probe.{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-democrats-subpoenaed-nine-banks-in-trump-finance-probe-11555546381 |url-access=subscription |title=House Democrats Subpoenaed Nine Banks in Trump Finance Probe |author=Andrew Ackerman |author2=Lalita Clozel |date=April 17, 2019 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=18 April 2019 |archive-date=August 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805094835/https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-democrats-subpoenaed-nine-banks-in-trump-finance-probe-11555546381 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-18/democrats-said-to-subpoena-nine-banks-in-probe-of-trump-finances |url-access=subscription |title=Democrats Subpoena Nine Banks in Probe of Trump Finances |author=Austin Weinstein |author2=Billy House |date=April 17, 2019 |website=Bloomberg |access-date=18 April 2019 |archive-date=May 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527210819/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-18/democrats-said-to-subpoena-nine-banks-in-probe-of-trump-finances |url-status=live }}
• May 19: Anti-money launders at Deutsche Bank AG recommended in 2016 and 2017 transactions involving Trump and Kushner-controlled entities be reported to a unit of the Treasury Department that polices financial crimes. The report is denied by the Bank that it prevented Trump transactions from being flagged.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/19/business/deutsche-bank-trump-kushner.html |title=Deutsche Bank Staff Saw Suspicious Activity in Trump and Kushner Accounts |date=May 19, 2019 |website=The New York Times |access-date=August 16, 2019 |archive-date=August 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817104619/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/19/business/deutsche-bank-trump-kushner.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-deutsche-bank-idUSKCN1SP0PB |title=Deutsche Bank staff flagged Trump, Kushner transactions for watchdog: NYTimes |author=David Morgan |editor=Daniel Wallis |editor2=Clarence Fernandez |editor3=Keith Weir |date=May 19, 2019 |work=Reuters |access-date=22 May 2019 |archive-date=August 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816010023/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-deutsche-bank-idUSKCN1SP0PB |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-deutsche-bank-report-idUSKCN1SQ0F8 |title=Deutsche Bank denies report it prevented Trump transactions being flagged |author=Arno Schuetze |author2=Tom Sims |editor=Riham Alkousaa |date=May 20, 2019 |work=Reuters |access-date=22 May 2019 |archive-date=August 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816010022/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-deutsche-bank-report-idUSKCN1SQ0F8 |url-status=live }}
• August 8: Per the request for House Financial Services and the House Intelligence Committees; Bank of America, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank AG, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo turn over documents relating to Russians who may have had dealings with the Trump Organization, and/or Trump and his family. Some of the banks also turned over documents to New York state investigators.{{cite web |url=https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/wjwqxb/trumps-favorite-bank-just-forked-over-a-pile-of-documents-to-democrats |title=Trump's Favorite Bank Just Forked Over a Pile of Documents to Democrats |author=Greg Walters |date=August 8, 2019 |website=news.vice.com |access-date=9 August 2019 |archive-date=August 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809144215/https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/wjwqxb/trumps-favorite-bank-just-forked-over-a-pile-of-documents-to-democrats |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/major-american-banks-give-congress-docs-on-russians-who-may-be-linked-to-trump-wsj |title=Paper Trail: Major American Banks Give Congress Docs on Russians Who May Be Linked to Trump: WSJ |author=Audrey McNamara |date=August 8, 2019 |website=thedailybeast.com |access-date=9 August 2019 |archive-date=July 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727063328/https://www.thedailybeast.com/major-american-banks-give-congress-docs-on-russians-who-may-be-linked-to-trump-wsj |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.crainsnewyork.com/finance/banks-hand-over-docs-congress-ny-investigators-trump-inquiries |title=Banks hand over docs to Congress, NY investigators in Trump inquiries |author=Ryan Deffenbaugh |date=August 8, 2019 |website=crainsnewyork.com |publisher=Crain Communications |access-date=9 August 2019 |archive-date=August 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809201307/https://www.crainsnewyork.com/finance/banks-hand-over-docs-congress-ny-investigators-trump-inquiries |url-status=live }}

• Business career of Donald Trump
• Links between Trump associates and Russian officials and spies
• The Trump Organization
• Timeline of investigations into Trump and Russia (2019)

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• {{cite book |last1=Unger |first1=Craig |title=House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia |date=2019 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-1-5247-4351-2 }}
• {{cite book |doi=10.7312/ali-20448-019 |chapter=Trump and Russia |title=Chaos Reconsidered |date=2023 |last1=Stent |first1=Angela |pages=181–195 |isbn=978-0-231-55626-2 }}
• {{cite book |last1=Hettena |first1=Seth |title=Trump/Russia: A Definitive History |date=2018 |publisher=Melville House |isbn=978-1-61219-739-5 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Rutland |first1=Peter |title=Trump, Putin, and the Future of US-Russian Relations |journal=Slavic Review |date=August 2017 |volume=76 |issue=S1 |pages=S41–S56 |doi=10.1017/slr.2017.157 }}

{{Trump businesses}}

{{Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections}}

{{Portal bar|Business and economics|Russia}}

Category:Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections

Russia

Category:Donald Trump controversies

Category:Economy of Russia