US: T-Mobile potentially used Trump Hotel stays to court favor, report says

T-Mobile has spent US$195,000 at the Trump International Hotel in Washington since April of 2018, according to a letter the company sent to two Democratic lawmakers, a sharp increase matched by spending at other hotels in the nation’s capital since the telecom giant announced a merger with Sprint requiring Trump administration approval.

“These hotel expenses cover a variety of types of business-related activities … including the cost of meeting space, catering, business center services, audio/visual equipment rental, lodging meals, taxes and other incidental expenses,” T-Mobile Vice President Anthony Russo wrote in a February 21 letter to Representative Pramila Jayapal (Dem-Washington) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (Dem-Massachusetts).

Before April 29th, 2018, the day news of the T-Mobile-Sprint merger was reported, just two top company officials had stayed at Trump’s hotel: Both CEO Tom Legere, and Executive Vice President David Carey stayed at the hotel overnight on August 30, 2017.

The company’s boost in spending at the president’s hotel as its megamerger is being considered by the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who say it shows that Trump is profiting from his office.