#20 Trump Markets His Brand in Moscow(2007)
For all the glitzy promotion at Moscow's Millionaire Fair, Trump Vodka never got traction, but in promoting it, Donald Trump still made himself into a brand that Russians could never forget.
As I noted in 2004-2006 Moscow! Moscow! Moscow! Felix Sater’s trips to Moscow—with Ivanka reportedly spinning around in Putin’s desk chair in the Kremlin— failed to will Trump Tower Moscow into existence, but that didn’t mean Donald Trump had given up on his efforts to bring his brand to the Russian capital.
In November 2007, Trump returned to Moscow, this time with a new venture that was specifically created for the Russian market: Trump Super Premium Vodka 24k. It was a product that Trump, ever the teetotaler, would not especially enjoy, but it was suitable for the kind of spectacle he relished. In this case, the product was launched at the Millionaire’s Fair, an opulent, over-the-top luxury expo hosted at Crocus Expo, a massive exhibition center just outside the city, built by Kremlin-connected oligarch Aras Agalarov.
Upon his arrival, Trump was flanked by Russian models, golden bottles of vodka, and wall-to-wall branding for Russia’s elite consumer market. The Millionaire’s Fair was a vulgar display of wealth and status that brought out Moscow’s elite to gawk at diamond-encrusted cell phones, superyachts— even purebred Turkmen horses. Trump, ever drawn to glitz and excess, fit seamlessly into the scene. His vodka—its bottles trimmed in 24-karat gold—was served by glamorous models while giant banners bearing his face and the slogan “Success Distilled” loomed above the crowd.
Perhaps the most surreal aspect of the entire affair was the promotional video(above) for Trump Vodka featuring a bizarre mashup of Trump’s face, Vladimir Lenin, a roaring tiger, and a pin-up model, set against a backdrop of gold, with the phrase “Money, Money, Money” emblazoned in Cyrillic script.
For all that, Trump Vodka itself never gained traction. Russian consumers—loyal to domestic brands and wary of gimmicky imports—were not swayed. By 2009, Trump Vodka vanished from shelves, leaving behind little more than press clippings and unsold inventory.
Nevertheless, Trump succeeded in embedding himself among Moscow’s elite and courting future business partners such as Aras Agalarov, an Azerbaijani billionaire who later partnered with Trump in presenting the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. Agalarov also later played a shadowy role in Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump also had a reunion with Shalva Chigirinsky, a Georgian-born oil and real estate tycoon who first met Trump in 1992 during a visit to Atlantic City with a delegation that included the son of a former high-ranking KGB official. According to the Wall Street Journal, Chigirinsky said he and Trump discussed future development deals.
In addition, Trump met Sergei Millian, a Belarusian-American who made enough of an impression that Trump invited him to future events in Florida, and later made Millian his Russian broker for Trump-branded properties in South Florida that had cultivated a Russian clientele.
As I wrote in House of Trump, House of Putin:
[T]he dubious character of Trump’s clientele was so obvious that the Financial Times suggested that the Russian American Chamber of Commerce, headed by Sergei Millian, who claimed to be Trump’s exclusive broker for Trump properties in Russia and the former Soviet Union, was the kind of Russian operation that harkened back to Cold War-Style espionage.
Konstantin Borovoi, who was president of Russia’s first commodities exchange, agreed that Millian’s chamber of commerce was reminiscent of the kind of practices one saw from the secret services at the height of the Cold War. …..”The chamber of commerce institutions are the visible part of the agent network….Russia has spent huge amounts of money on this.”
Several years later, Millian’s name surfaced again, this time as a figure tied to Russia’s interference in America’s 2016 presidential election.
Meanwhile, the trip boosted Trump’s image among Russia’s wealthy not just as a flashy mogul, but as someone with ambitions that stretched beyond vodka—and possibly beyond business altogether.
But Trump’s visit wasn’t just about vodka, and he spent most of the evening exploiting a branding opportunity by presenting himself as a celebrity-businessman whose vulgar self-promotion and theatricality were perfect for the Russian market and for the high-level business contacts he was making.
As I wrote in House of Trump, House of Putin, he still wanted to expand his brand into Russia, “and that meant Putin had to be on board.” Later that month, Trump typed a personal letter to the Russian president inviting him to attend. People familiar with the document said it showed how eager Trump was to win over Putin.
According to the Washington Post, Trump had just one other desire on his mind that he wanted to share with the Russian dictator, and he alluded to it at the bottom of his letter with a postscript saying that he looked forward “to seeing ‘beautiful’ women during his trip.”
If you have tips, leads, or insights, please reach out—I am always looking for new information. And don’t forget to comment and share your thoughts!
Cast of Characters
Aras Agalarov
Kremlin-connected Azerbaijani-Russian oligarch and real estate developer. Hosted the Millionaire’s Fair at his Crocus Expo center. Later partnered with Trump on the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow and played a key role in brokering Kremlin-Trump connections.
Shalva Chigirinsky
Georgian-born oil and real estate magnate. Met Trump at the vodka launch and reportedly discussed joint development projects.
Sergei Millian
Belarusian-American businessman who introduced himself to Trump at the event. Later emerged in investigations surrounding Russian election interference and the Steele dossier.
For the complete story on how Trump became a Russian asset, buy House of Trump, House of Putin and/or American Kompromat. And don’t miss my latest book, Den of Spies!
House of Trump, House of Putin
The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia
American Kompromat
How the KGB Cultivated Donald Trump, and Related Tales of Sex, Greed, Power, and Treachery
Den of Spies
Reagan, Carter, and the Secret History of the Treason That Stole the White House
Hillary did notably call Trump out on it, saying that he would be "Putin's puppet," in one of the debates. But it did not become a. major issue during the election. In fact, if you go back to 2012, Mitt Romney was very tough on Russia and he was ridiculed for asserting that Russia was a major threat.
Thanks so much Craig keep fighting the good fight, I have been following your work for the last 10yrs, have read House of Trump house of Putin and American Kompromat.. excellent job, 🤗