Trump’s company reportedly pursued Moscow tower while he ran for president

Joshua Roberts | Reuters

President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., August 22, 2017.

Donald Trump’s company was chasing a deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow while he ran for president in late 2015 and early 2016, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the proposal and records reviewed by Trump Organization lawyers.

Russian-born developer Felix Sater had urged Trump to visit Moscow to work on the proposal and suggested he could persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to say “great things” about Trump, the report said, citing people briefed on the correspondence.

Trump didn’t make the Moscow trip and while Trump’s company signed a letter of intent, the project was abandoned at the end of January of 2016, the report said, citing sources.

As the talks progressed, Trump made many comments in support of Putin, while the Russian president began to reciprocate by the end of 2015, the report noted.

The Washington Post said the White House and Trump’s personal attorney declined to comment.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to CNBC’s emailed request for comment.

The full Washington Post report can be read here.