SLEAZY

T-Mobile Admits It Spent Thousands at Trump DC Hotel Ahead of Sprint Merger

Acknowledges big tab at president’s DC site while finalizing merger that needed federal antitrust approval.

In a letter to congressional Democrats, T-Mobile revealed it had spent $195,000 at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., while finalizing a merger with Sprint that required federal antitrust approval, The Washington Post reported Tuesday. “While we understand that staying at Trump properties might be viewed positively by some and negatively by others, we are confident that the relevant agencies address the questions before them on the merits,” Anthony Russo, T-Mobile USA’s vice president of federal legislative affairs, wrote in the Feb. 21 letter. Before the $26 billion merger was announced, the Post reported only two T-Mobile officials had stayed at the president’s hotel. Since the announcement,  T-Mobile execs have stayed at the hotel for more than 50 nights. The $195,000 was also used to pay for “meeting space, catering, business center services, audio/visual equipment rental, [and] lodging” at the hotel, the letter states, in response to questions posed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).