Donald Trump Jr. has publicly questioned Politico's handling of a 2020 article concerning his father's alleged financial ties to the Bank of China, demanding a full correction. The tweet, posted by Donald Trump Jr., stated, "> When is Politico going to correct this story?" highlighting a long-standing point of contention regarding the news outlet's reporting and subsequent clarifications.
The controversy stems from an April 2020 Politico article that initially reported former President Donald Trump owed tens of millions of dollars to the state-owned Bank of China, with the loan due in 2022. This claim was based on a 2012 refinancing deal for a New York City building, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, in which the Trump Organization held a minority interest. The original headline suggested an active debt, sparking widespread discussion about potential conflicts of interest.
Following the initial publication, the Bank of China issued a statement clarifying that it had sold its interest in the loan shortly after the 2012 deal, specifically by late November 2012. This meant the bank had no current financial interest in any Trump Organization properties. Politico subsequently updated its article and issued a correction, changing the headline to "Trump owed tens of millions to the Bank of China" and adding an editor's note detailing the Bank of China's statement.
The core of the dispute, and likely the subject of Trump Jr.'s tweet, revolves around a 2017 UCC3 document filed by Wells Fargo, the loan servicer, which continued to list the Bank of China as having a "secured interest" in the building. Wells Fargo later confirmed this listing was an error and stated steps were being taken to correct the record. Despite Politico's updates and corrections, critics, including Donald Trump Jr., have argued that the corrections did not go far enough to fully retract the initial premise of an ongoing debt.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of Donald Trump Jr. and his father frequently criticizing media outlets for what they perceive as inaccurate or biased reporting. The ongoing demand for a more comprehensive correction underscores the persistent scrutiny over the financial dealings of the Trump Organization and the media's role in reporting on them. The original loan matured in 2022, but the debate over the accuracy and completeness of the historical reporting continues.