The president’s attorney, who’s made overtures to Romania, dined within feet of Viorica Dancila at the Trump Hotel D.C.

Rudy Giuliani and Romania’s prime minister dined within arm’s reach of each other this weekend at the Trump Hotel D.C.

Viorica Dancila stayed at the U.S. president’s hotel over the weekend (as Ilya Marritz of WNYC, Justin Elliott of ProPublica, and your correspondent reported on Monday). As that article explained, Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, had “made overtures to the Romanian government since Trump was elected.” Giulinai had been spotted at the hotel this weekend too, but not with Dancila. And his spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment for that article.

But then, at 2:08 a.m. today, Giuliani tweeted a picture of himself dining in the hotel’s BLT Prime restaurant with the president’s “All Star legal team.” And there, seated just over Giuliani’s left shoulder, is the prime minister of Romania.

Beyond that BLT Prime’s patron’s physical resemblance to Dancila, she’s wearing the same dress your correspondent spotted Dancila in at the hotel around 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Additionally, the photo Giuliani shared in today’s wee hours could not have have been taken last night, as Molly Jong-Fast had seen him dining in New York City around 7 p.m.

Of course, the mere fact that Dancila and Giuliani ate next to each other proves nothing (except that the U.S. president profited from both of their meals).

Trump Store selling White House merch made in China, Thailand

The Trump Store is selling merchandise depicting the White House that was not made in the United States. Those items, which debuted online last week, also are sold in the Trump Hotel D.C.’s gift shop, a half mile down the street from the White House.

Photos, taken this morning in the hotel’s gift shop, show a Trump Hotels shot glass with a drawing of the White House that was made in China. And a Trump coffee mug with the White House on it was manufactured in Thailand.

The Trump three-bar soap set, however, was made in the United States. Originally advertised with one bar showing the White House under “Trump Hotels”, those wrappers appear to have been removed (a gift-shop sales clerk claimed they never existed).

It was not immediately apparent where several of the other items were made.

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Hotel welcomes Family Research Council’s Christian Heritage Tour and Summit today

The Family Research Council’s inaugural D.C. Christian Heritage Tour and Summit is today through Sunday with accommodations at the Trump Hotel D.C. Tickets for the tour cost $2,498 per person and do not include airfare.

According to FRC president Tony Perkins, the tour may include “a White House briefing.” There also will be “a private spiritual heritage tour of the U.S. Capitol followed by dinner with congressional members on Capitol Hill.” And on Sunday, the hotel will host a worship service with Perkins.

From Perkins’s letter describing the event:

While others may try to disprove the fact that America is a Christian nation, we want to show you first-hand why it is fact. Journey with us through the establishment of our nation, our present challenges and opportunities, and look into a future that is possible. For the sake of America, we must steward this great gift with prayer, engage in the present political environment, and stand firm in transcendent Truth as we move forward.

"We have a religious niche,” the hotel’s managing director, Mickael Damelincourt, said in an interview with Hotels magazine last year.

Other Trump Organization news

House investigations, current status (latest changes, March 28, 2019)

Legal cases, current status (latest change, March 20, 2019)

Health inspections, current status (latest change, Aug. 10, 2018)

❌Hote l: five violations on May 7, 2018; two were corrected on site

❌BLT Prime and Benjamin Bar : nine violations on Aug. 10, 2018

❌Sushi Nakazawa : two violations on Aug. 10, 2018

✔️ Banquet kitchen : no violations on Aug. 10, 2018

❌Pastry kitchen : two violations on Aug. 10, 2018

✔️ Gift shop : no violations on May 7, 2018

❌Employee kitchen and in-room dining: five violations on Aug. 10, 2018; two were corrected on site

Is the Trump Organization selling merchandise that depicts the White House? (latest change, March 21, 2019)

Yes.

One thing that (probably) has nothing to do with Trump’s businesses

Former Trump Cabinet secretaries Scott Pruit and Ryan Zinke were hanging out together recently at the Dallas County Republican Party’s annual Reagan dinner.

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