Here’s the problem: we have no idea why Trump’s lenders like Deutsche Bank “forgave” $287 million in debt. No idea about possible agreements between that might have caused them to drop the debt and keep lending to Trump. Why not?

Because Trump blocked subpoenas for the records.

Explanations like “it wasn’t worth the legal fight” are somewhat laughable.

First off, a MAJOR WALL STREET BANK doesn’t let a broke client scare *it* with bogus legal threats.

Second, it’s not just the legal fight. Deutsche Bank kept lending to Trump!

Permitting excuses like “it wasn’t worth the legal fight” or “he made personal guarantees” don’t make sense when you have top notch lawyers, are worth billions and the personal guarantees are worthless.

Unless.. they aren’t worthless. And that’s where the records would come in.

We don’t even know details of the personal guarantees; whether there were communications about other parties paying deposits or fees to offset any losses; about transactions in Trump’s accounts flagged by compliance staff but ignored by executives. We don’t have the records.

Just so much we don’t know. We are operating off sources around Deutsche talking to NYT, a source that had Trump’s tax records and that is ... pretty much it. NYT is doing *amazing* work with what they have.

But also showing why we need financial investigators on this.

Bank executives need to feel real pressure to tell the truth, not save face or paint over the facts with broad statements. A media outlet triggers the latter. Only a prosecutor can truly trigger the former.