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