This Day in Trump, Day 74: More Russia Ties, Meetings With Egyptians

WASHINGTON — On the 74th day of his term, President Donald Trump spent most of the day with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.Trump, el-Sissi and several members of both countries’ administrations had a working luncheon and several additional meetings over the course of the day.Late Monday, The Washington Post reported that the United Arab Emirates had arranged a secret meeting between Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, and an associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the weeks before Trump’s inauguration. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a back-channel line of communication between the Trump administration and officials in Moscow, according to Post reporters.Meanwhile, the White House released First Lady Melania Trump’s official portrait and announced that the president would donate his first-quarter salary to the National Park Service. And ProPublica, the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative news organization, reported about an unusual change in the conditions of the trust in which Trump holds his businesses — which led press secretary Sean Spicer to dismiss ProPublica as a “left-wing blog.”Here’s what you need to know.Highlight of the dayThe highlight of the day was the Post’s story, which details a secret meeting between Erik Prince, who founded the Blackwater security firm, and a Russian associate with strong ties to Vladimir Putin.Although Prince doesn't have an official position in the Trump administration, he has strong ties to top adviser Steve Bannon and others. Prince’s sister, Betsy DeVos, is Trump’s education secretary.  Continue reading...

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