Hosts Miss Universe in Moscow, establishes ties with Agalarov oligarch family
Trump brought the Miss Universe pageant to Moscow, hosted at Crocus City Hall owned by Russian oligarch Aras Agalarov and his pop star son Emin. The choice of Russia sparked controversy due to Putin's anti-gay 'propaganda' laws, causing openly gay Bravo host Andy Cohen to boycott. MSNBC's Thomas Roberts agreed to host instead. Trump appeared in Emin Agalarov's music video 'In Another Life' filmed during the pageant. At the event, Trump expressed hope to meet Putin, later tweeting: 'Do you think Putin will be going to The Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow - if so, will he become my new best friend?' The Agalarov connection would prove fateful: in 2016, Emin Agalarov arranged the Trump Tower meeting where Russians offered 'dirt on Hillary Clinton' to Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort.
“Do you think Putin will be going to The Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow - if so, will he become my new best friend?” — Trump tweet, June 18, 2013, before the pageant
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryThe 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow is the origin point for Trump's most consequential Russian connections. The Agalarov family - oligarch Aras and his pop star son Emin - became Trump's partners in Russia. Trump appeared in Emin's music video, had dinner with the family, and discussed building Trump Tower Moscow. When Trump ran for president in 2016, it was Emin Agalarov who arranged the infamous June 9 Trump Tower meeting, emailing 'the Crown prosecutor of Russia' wanted to share 'dirt on Hillary.'
The anti-gay law controversy foreshadowed Trump's transactional approach to human rights. While Andy Cohen boycotted on principle, Trump saw business opportunity - holding the pageant anyway and seeking Putin's attendance. His 'new best friend' tweet about Putin, meant as flattery, became evidence of his Russia affinity. The seeds planted in Moscow in 2013 would grow into the 'Russia investigation' that defined his presidency: the Agalarovs arranged the Trump Tower meeting, Mueller investigated Russian contacts, and the Moscow hotel allegedly captured compromising material described in the Steele dossier.
This event establishes a pattern Trump would repeat: prioritize business deals over American interests or values. When confronted with Russia's persecution of LGBTQ people, Trump chose profit over principle - behavior that would characterize his relationship with authoritarian regimes throughout his political career.