The fact an effort to build a Trump Tower in Moscow never came to fruition is proof there was no collusion between the Russian government and then-candidate Donald Trump, Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy said Monday.
"It is total B.S.," Ruddy, a friend of the president, told CNN's Don Lemon.
"No building was built. No deal was ever done," Ruddy said. "So when the president says, 'I never did any deal in Russia,' it's true. He is accurate."
The Trump brand is popular worldwide, Ruddy noted, prompting someone to approach his organization with the idea. Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, agreed to engage, but the deal never materialized.
"What's the story here? Why is this a big story?" Ruddy asked.
Ruddy also shared his thoughts on Trump's pardon of former Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, saying, "the president did the right thing."
Arpaio, who is 85 and has health issues, served the nation for 50 years, Ruddy said.
"It seems like a political vendetta at end of the Obama years," he said.
Ruddy said he does not approve of racial profiling and is pro-immigration with a pathway to citizenship. Still, he said, violations such as Arpaio's are typically handled at the local level with a fine and sanctions on the agency.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.