A man former President Donald Trump once called a "druggie" and a "joke" is now reportedly buying the one-term Commander-in-Chief's hotel in downtown Washington DC.
Former New York Yankee star Alex Rodriguez is part of an investment group seeking to buy Mr Trump's hotel for $375m, according to the Associated Press.
Prior to his presidency, Mr Trump - a longtime fan of the Yankees - said in a radio interview that he never liked Rodriguez, claiming he had a "bad experience" with him when he lived at Mr Trump's Park Avenue tower.
He frequently tweeted his disdain for Rodriguez – nicknamed A-Rod – particularly between 2011 and 2013. In 2014, when Rodriguez was suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs, Mr Trump jumped on the opportunity to skewer the ballplayer.
“The @Yankees should immediately stop paying A-Rod — he signed his contract without telling them he was a druggie,” Mr Trump tweeted.
He then said that "druggie A-Rod" had "disgraced the blessed Yankees" and that he "does not deserve to wear the pinstripes”.
Apparently at some point that animosity resided, however, as Mr Trump reportedly called the short stop in 2020 for advice on how to handle the coronavirus pandemic. It is unclear why Mr Trump thought the Yankee slugger would have insight on combatting a deadly pandemic.
Mr Trump denied the call occurred, saying it was "more fake news”.
Michael D'Antonio, who wrote a biography about Mr Trump, said he was not shocked that the former president was willing to be bailed out by someone he considered a "druggie" less than a decade ago.
“This is just more proof that the only thing that matters to Trump is money,” he told the AP. “If A-Rod can bail out Trump and get him out of a sticky situation and help him turn a profit, he’s going to take that deal. He’d take it from Hillary Clinton.”
The sources who spoke with the AP declined to detail the extent of Mr Rodriguez's stake in the deal.
If the deal goes through, the former president may actually make a profit on the sale, as Mr Trump's company spent $200m to renovate the building. A congressional oversight committee determined that Mr Trump lost $70m on the hotel over his four years in office.
Real estate experts said the hotel's actual valuation is likely closer to $260m, but the removal of Mr Trump's name from the building may make it a more attractive spot for visitors visiting the nation's capital.
