Despite his distinctly anti-Obama rhetoric, it turns out Donald Trump and the president have a mutual friend.

The real estate mogul donated $50,000 to former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel's Chicago mayoral campaign in December 2010, just months before hitting the airwaves hinting he would make a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

Who else benefited from The Donald's political generosity in Obama's home state?

Impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagovich got $5,000 from Trump for his 2002 gubernatorial campaign and another $2,000 for his re-election campaign in 2007. Blago, a Democrat, is now being tried in federal court on felony charges, including trying to sell Obama's vacant Senate seat.

Trump also donated $5,000 to Illinois' former Republican governor George Ryan in 1998, followed by another $5,000 in 2002. Ryan is now in federal prison.