Donald Trump was famously friendly with Bill and Hillary Clinton before running for president — and a document dump on Tuesday from the Clinton Presidential Library shows the early signs of that relationship in the nineties.
In a 1993 letter to Clinton, a man named Tony August affiliated with the casino industry in Atlantic City wrote about Trump and said: “if you two don’t know each other you should. You have much in common, age, broad vision for the future and most importantly, the resources and desire to make America bigger and better than it already is.”
The letter ends with August writing: “I don’t know how the Trump Family voted in the last election but the August Family cast three solid votes for William Jefferson Clinton.”
The Clinton Presidential Library on Tuesday released the documents from Bill Clinton’s administration relating to Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
Some documents are withheld. A redaction sheet for one page explains that “release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”
In June 2000, the documents show, Clinton met with Trump in New York at Trump Tower for a “photo opportunity” with the real estate developer.
Docs show that Bill Clinton met with Donald Trump at Trump Tower for a photo in June 2000 pic.twitter.com/Z31q5LxGWK
— Alex Pappas (@AlexPappas) April 12, 2016
The documents include a June 1995 message from Clinton assistant Betty Currie, who wrote a note to White House aide Karen. L Hancox saying: “What are you[r] thoughts on sending a birthday letter to Donald Trump – who turns 50 on June 14. Please forward response to Maureen Lewis who will prepare letter – if you approve. Thanks.”
But three days later, without explanation, Currie wrote to Lewis: “Cancel letter to Donald Trump. Let me know.” David Brock Says He Has Info That Will Take Trump Down
The documents also show that Trump sent a signed copy of his book “Art of the Deal” to Clinton aide Mark Middleton, inscribing: “Your mom is the best”
Docs show Trump, in signed copy of Art of the Deal to Clinton aide Mark Middleton, wrote: “Your mom is the best” pic.twitter.com/UKmU5b53LC
— Alex Pappas (@AlexPappas) April 12, 2016
The documents also include a copy of a 1999 AP story by writer Ron Fournier about how “Trump has plan to soak the rich” by proposing a 14.25 percent tax on the net worth of wealthy Americans to get rid of the country’s dent. Some conservatives have pointed to this during Trump’s current campaign as evidence of his past liberal views.
Trump’s name is also mentioned by
Clinton aides also mentioned Trump’s name in briefing materials in reference when he was flirting with running for president in 2000.
The documents include prep material from Clinton aides an Oct. 31, 1999 interview with CBS’ Bryant Gumbel, where it is suggested he could be asked: “This year we’ve been treated to news that Donald Trump, Cybil Shepherd, Jesse Ventura and Warren Beatty might run for President. Is this the result of a demeaning of the office that you’ve contributed to?”
Clinton was encouraged to answer, according to his aides: “I don’t think what I’ve done has anything to do with such political developments. We go through all sorts of cycles in politics, and we’re in one now where some people from the entertainment world are talking about running for president. That’s not a first, by the way. So it’s a free country, people can chart their own course, and the political process will sort our the wheat from the chaff. I’m not concerned about it.”
In another similar briefing document for a October 1999 press conference, Clinton’s aides are prepared for him to answer a similar question about Trump and other celebrities interested in running for president by saying: “I think it may something about the way the media covers politics these days, but I have the utmost confidence in the American people to sort out the wheat from the chaff. Regardless of who runs for president or how they’re covered, the public eventually sees through all the smoke and mirrors. And they, after all, have the ultimate power at the ballot box.”