The Trump Organization turns over details about 2 previously unreported contacts with Russia


President Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, had two previously unreported contacts with Russian agents during the 2016 campaign, The Washington Post reports. The first contact, several weeks before the Republican National Convention, involved Cohen exchanging emails about traveling to an economic conference in Russia that would have been attended by politicians including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The second case involved Cohen in conversation about a Moscow residential project in late 2015. Cohen both declined the invitation to the economic conference and rejected the Trump-branded Moscow project.
In August, The Washington Post reported that Cohen reached out to Dmitry Peskov, Putin's personal spokesman, during the presidential campaign to ask for help moving forward a stalled Trump Tower project in Moscow. Cohen said in a statement to congressional investigators that he reached out to Peskov at the recommendation of Felix Sater, the Russian-American businessman working on the Moscow project.
The Trump Organization handed over details of the newly reported interactions to the White House in light of the ongoing investigations by congressional committees as well as Special Counsel Robert Mueller. And while apparently no action stemmed from the conversations, the contact shows that "Trump's inner circle continued receiving requests from Russians deep into the presidential campaign," The Washington Post reports. Additionally, the documents show that "the Trump Organization fielded another inquiry for a Moscow project during the presidential campaign." Read the full story here.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
June 17 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Tuesday's political cartoons include a delay in the Artificial Intelligence invasion, 'No Kings' at the G7 Summit, and an 'arrest' of Gavin Newsom
-
The best podcasts for bookworms
The Week Recommends From reading list recommendations to author interviews these literary listens are perfect for bibliophiles
-
Will the new grooming gangs inquiry achieve anything?
Today's Big Question Critics point to a previous inquiry's still-unfulfilled list of recommendations
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores