Trump Organization Seeks Concessions On Loans Backed Personally By President Trump From Deutsche Bank

No business is immune to the country’s coronavirus shutdown, including the President’s. In fact, it was was reported yesterday that the Trump Organization is actively seeking out concessions from Deutsche Bank, one of its lenders, due to the pandemic.

Representatives from the President’s company reached out to Deutsche Bank late in March and talks between the company and the bank are ongoing, according to Bloomberg. 

Or, as one person simply put it on social media: “Two broke organizations restructuring debt”. 

TRUMP ORG TALKS TO DEUTSCHE BANK ABOUT DELAYING PAYMENTS: NYT

Two broke orgs restructuring debt, great

— Quoth the Raven (@QTRResearch) April 2, 2020

Deutsche Bank is said to be having similar talks with other commercial real estate companies in the U.S., as well. The pandemic, and ensuing economic shutdown, has squeezed both borrowers and lenders across the world. Central banks have worked on a plan to try and backstop banks and provide relief to companies, even considering lending to some businesses directly. However, it is going to be tough to paper over every single company that is facing a default. 

The request from the Trump organization is noteworthy, since President Trump is arguably the most powerful person in the world and Deutsche Bank has been under scrutiny for years, with many speculating the bank could have solvency issues behind the scenes. The loans, which were taken out by Trump between 2012 and 2015, include a personal guarantee from Trump.

That means that in the case of a default, the lenders would have to collect from a sitting President. 

The loans that the bank has provided for the Trump Organization include money for a Florida golf resort, a Washington D.C. hotel and a Chicago skyscraper. 

Doral, Trump’s golf resort near Miami, has closed all operations. Trump’s hotel in Washington has shut down its restaurant and its bar. Additionally, a sale of the hotel’s lease has been halted while the commercial real estate market goes up in flames.

Deutsche Bank has been under scrutiny since Trump first took office back in 2016. The bank had previously considered the idea of extending Trump’s maturities to his loans to 2025, after the end of a second potential term, but ultimately decided against entering into any new business with a sitting President.