Business Insider By BRENNAN WEISS Feb 21st 2018
A decade-old quote by Donald Trump, Jr. resurfaced in a New York Times column over the weekend.
"In terms of high-end product influx into the US, Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets," President Donald Trump's eldest son said during a conference in New York in 2008.
The comment has taken on new meaning since Trump's election.
During a New York real estate conference in 2008, President Donald Trump's eldest son admitted that a lot of the family's assets come from Russia.
"And in terms of high-end product influx into the US, Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets," Donald Trump, Jr. said while speaking at a New York real estate conference in 2008. "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."
Amid special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, Trump, Jr.'s comments have taken on new meaning.
The curious quote resurfaced in The New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman's latest op-ed, published on Sunday, which tears into Trump and his handling of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
"President Trump is either totally compromised by the Russians or is a towering fool, or both, but either way he has shown himself unwilling or unable to defend America against a Russian campaign to divide and undermine our democracy," Friedman wrote.
While much of Friedman's column was speculation, the decade-old quote from Trump, Jr. sheds new light on the Trump family's past financial holdings, although it does not implicate the Trumps in any illegal activity.
Liberals have used Trump, Jr.'s words to illustrate their belief that Russia may have leverage over Trump because of his previous business dealings in the country.
"My guess is what Trump is hiding has to do with money," Friedman said in his column. "It’s something about his financial ties to business elites tied to the Kremlin. They may own a big stake in him."
'It's clear Russia meddled'
As far as we know, the Justice Department's investigation into Russian election meddling and whether Trump coordinated with any Russians in their efforts, has not found any evidence that Trump or members of his presidential campaign colluded with Russia in their attempts to sway the 2016 election.
But the investigation is ongoing, and Mueller has not ruled out the possibility.
Last week, the investigation took a turn when Mueller's office announced the indictment of 13 Russians and three Russian companies for sowing political discourse and meddling in the US political system in the run-up to the 2016 election.
The indictment forced White House press secretary to defend the intelligence community's long-held assessment that Russia interfered.
"It's very clear that Russia meddled in the election," Sanders said during a press conference on Tuesday. "I think one of the places where you [reporters] seem to get very confused — and it seems to happen regularly — is the president hasn't said that Russia didn't meddle. What he's saying is that it didn't have an impact and it certainly wasn't with help from the Trump campaign."
Trump, who has repeatedly called the Russia investigation a "witch hunt," insists that there was no collusion.
"Russia started their anti-US campaign in 2014, long before I announced that I would run for President," Trump said in a tweet last week. "The results of the election were not impacted. The Trump campaign did nothing wrong - no collusion!"
Witchy sez :
Mini-Don stated much the same thing during the Trump campaign. One can consider the possibility that Putin has one firm grip over the Trumps; why else would an American family that proclaims to want to "make America great again" decide to sell us out to Russian ambitions?
Trump couldn't borrow money anywhere else since he went 1.5 BILLION in debt.
It wouldn't surprise me if Russia was looking into the future and taking a chance they could use some rich American to their advantage.
Not especially because of politics but for some other reason.
They weren't really risking anything since they held the notes on his property.
POSSIBLE gain with very low risk.
Trumps Presidency will never be viewed as legitimate, regardless of all the righties hooting and hollering no collusion. Whatever the outcome of the Mueller investigation, there will forever be a asterisk by Trumps name in the white house. Sorry righties but your boy is a joke. You and the Russians can go cry together.
Trump is either totally compromised by the Russians or is a towering fool, or both, but either way he has shown himself unwilling or unable to defend America against a Russian campaign to divide and undermine our democracy,"
On the other side of the coin Kushner has a weak spot for avoiding jail!!! He didn't like visiting his father when he was there and most likely doesn't want his own kids doing that. How fast will he cave and sing like a canary? If Trump had a brain, he'd be getting Kushner out of hearing range instead of letting him stay with no security clearances!
Question : every photo of Don Jr . looks like he's smelling something , maybe he smells how deep in s**t he's in ....HeHe
My gosh Witchy you are firing all guns tonight and a few missiles. I think you are the only one who has ever said it the right way, 'the Trumps sold the US out to Russia'. Putin has a lot more on Trump than we know. He has enough to hang Mr Orange.
ReplyDeleteWe will never believe Trump won legitimately. What wee Don said in his interview tells the story. They are even in deeper with the Russians now than they were in 2008.
Yes it does look like he is smelling something rotton...hahaha!
Way to go Witchy
love Shadow ( your biggest fan)
just a feeling I got ...tRUMP talks about who he don't want here and nothing is good about America ... all the crap Mueller has on the tRUMPS , he never mention a word about Putin , It leave little doubt that Putin has him in his back pocket Or tRUMP is afraid he may have an accident .
ReplyDeleteI am so glad we are raising our boys to be men , if they are going to be a leader , don't cave in for a few bucks . Be the best leader or anything they decide to be , if it's collecting garbage be the best they can .
I think tRUMP is scared , he seems nervous lately .
Thank you
Love Witchy