Eric Trump said 'we have all the funding we need out of Russia', golf writer claims
Eric Trump allegedly revealed in a 2014 interview that Russia funded the family's golf resorts "all the time".
The President also reportedly told the same journalist that the family had “access to $100 million” for their newest course in North Carolina.
Golf writer James Dodson revealed the claims this month in an interview with a Boston radio station, explaining that he had met Donald Trump and his son three years ago when he was invited to play golf at their Trump National Charlotte course.
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Mr Dodson said he had asked the now-President how he had secured funding for the courses, and Mr Trump “sort of tossed off that he had access to $100 million”.
The journalist then followed up with Eric Trump, who was also on the resort that day, during a ride in a golf cart.
“I said, 'Eric, who’s funding? I know no banks — because of the recession, the Great Recession — have touched a golf course. You know, no one’s funding any kind of golf construction. It’s dead in the water the last four or five years.'” the writer said.
“And this is what he said. He said, 'Well, we don’t rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia.' I said, 'Really?' And he said, 'Oh, yeah. We’ve got some guys that really, really love golf, and they’re really invested in our programmes. We just go there all the time.’”
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The revelations come amid several congressional committees' investigations into alleged ties between the Trump administration and Russia.
Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any ties, claiming he had no business or investments in the country, but he has failed to provide his tax returns which would prove his claims.
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The President has suffered several set-backs due to the Russia investigation, including the resignation of his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who misled Vice President Mike Pence about the nature and timing of his phone calls to the Russian ambassador.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions then recused himself from any investigation of the Trump campaign’s communication with Russia as he had himself met the ambassador, Sergei Kislyak.
Mr Trump has previously praised Vladimir Putin as a “strong” leader, and later clarified it would be a good thing if the two leaders could “get along”.
He has dismissed reports from US intelligence agencies that Russia exerted a “campaign of influence” to boost Mr Trump in the election last year and decimate his rival, Hillary Clinton.
FBI director James Comey is still investigating Mr Trump's alleged links to Russia and told a senate judiciary committee last week that he would not issue "another peep" until the probe was complete.
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