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Timeline: Trump's Involvements With Russia


FILE - A doorman stands as people walk past Trump Tower in New York, May 23, 2016.
FILE - A doorman stands as people walk past Trump Tower in New York, May 23, 2016.

1986
Trump Meets Soviet Ambassador

At a New York event, Trump met Yuri Dubinin, Soviet Ambassador to the United States.

1987
Trump Meets Gorbachev

In Washington, Trump met with visiting Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

1987
First Trip to then-Soviet Union

Trump traveled to the Soviet Union with first wife Ivana to search for hotel sites for a possible joint-venture with Intourist, the Soviet government's tourism agency.

1996
Second Trip to Now-Russia

Trump traveled to Moscow with proposal for luxury residential complex to be built on property owned by a U.S. tobacco company and publicly praised the city's potential.

Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev shakes hands with New York real estate tycoon Donald Trump, at the State Department in Washington, Dec. 9, 1987 prior to a luncheon in Gorbachev's honor.
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev shakes hands with New York real estate tycoon Donald Trump, at the State Department in Washington, Dec. 9, 1987 prior to a luncheon in Gorbachev's honor.

1996
Trump Applies for Russian Trademarks

Trump starts to seek trademarks in Russia for company names, including Trump Tower. CNN Money reported at least eight trademark applications were filed in Russia from 1996 to 2008.

1997
Trump Meets Alexander Lebed in New York

Trump hosted retired Russian general and presidential aspirant Alexander Lebed at Trump Tower in New York.

1997
Trump and Statue of Christopher Columbus

Trump spoke of installing near the Hudson River in New York a bronze statue of Christopher Columbus created by a billionaire artist friend of Russian President Boris Yeltsin and donated by the Russian government. The statue, taller than the Statue of Liberty, ended up in Puerto Rico.

1999
Trump Negative About Russia and Yeltsin

Trump described Russia as “out of control” and Yeltsin as “a disaster” during a television interview.

2005
Trump Eyes Moscow Trump Tower

Trump worked with New York's Bayrock Group to develop a Trump Tower in Moscow. A site was chosen, but the project did not go forward.

2006
Trump's Children Travel to Moscow

Trump's children, Donald Jr and Ivanka, made a trip to Moscow. In 2008, Donald Jr stated this was one of six trips he made to Russia over a period of one and one-half years.

FILE - Bottles from a new line of premium vodka affiliated with Donald Trump and bearing the name Trump Super Premium Vodka are seen in New York City, Oct. 6, 2006.
FILE - Bottles from a new line of premium vodka affiliated with Donald Trump and bearing the name Trump Super Premium Vodka are seen in New York City, Oct. 6, 2006.

2007
Third Trip To Russia to Promote vodka
Trump and partners promote "Trump Super Premium Vodka 24K" at the Millionaire Fair in Moscow. Bottles are "decorated with pure twenty-four karat gold."

2008
Trump announces TV show partnership

Trump and partner, Affliction Entertainment, a mixed martial arts company, announced plans to film a multi-episode reality TV show in Russia. The show did not get made.

2013
Fourth Trip to Moscow for Miss Universe Pageant

Trump and NBC sold rights to Russians to host the 2013 Miss Universe pageant and Trump attended the event. After the trip he tweeted: “Moscow is a very interesting and amazing place” and that “TRUMP TOWER-MOSCOW is next.”

FILE - Miss Universe 2013 Gabriela Isler, Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, and businessman Aras Agalarov take part in a news conference after the Miss Universe pageant at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow Nov. 9, 2013.
FILE - Miss Universe 2013 Gabriela Isler, Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, and businessman Aras Agalarov take part in a news conference after the Miss Universe pageant at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow Nov. 9, 2013.

2016
Trump and Putin Speak on the Phone

On November 14, Putin called Trump to formally congratulate him on his victory in the presidential election and expressed hope “for cooperation in ending a crisis in Russian-American relations.”

Sources: The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, The Financial Times, and The Moscow Times

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