Donald Trump decided not to deport fugitive accused of rape 'after learning he is a Mar-a-Lago member'
'We need to get this criminal out of the country' President allegedly said before changing mind
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump reportedly changed his mind about deporting a Chinese fugitive accused of rape after learning he was a paying member of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Guo Wengui, a billionaire real-estate developer, fled China in 2014 after learning he was about to be arrested on charges of rape, bribery and kidnapping, allegations he denies.
At a meeting to discuss foreign policy with China in June, Mr Trump told aides he knew of at least one "Chinese criminal" the US needed to deport immediately, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The President then produced a letter from the Chinese government calling for the extradition of Mr Guo, delivered to him by Steve Wynn, a casino magnate with business interests in the Chinese casino city Macau.
"Where's that letter Steve brought?" the President is said to have asked his secretary. "We need to get this criminal out of the country."
A spokesperson for Mr Wynn told the Wall Street Journal its reporting was false, but did not offer further comment.
The paper said Mr Trump's aides managed to talk him out of the decision and he changed his mind after being told Mr Guo is a member of his Mar-a-Lago resort.
The aides later worked to ensure the deportation would not go ahead.
Since fleeing China, Mr Guo has made allegations of Chinese government corruption, without providing evidence.
Officials from China's ministry of state security visited Mr Guo at his New York apartment in may, using veiled threats in an attempt to stop him tweeting his accusations and return to China.
As the officials had entered the US on visas that did not allow them to conduct official business, they were confronted by FBI agents and told to leave the country.
However, two days later they visited Mr Guo again ahead of a planned to leave for China. FBI agents were poised to arrest them at John F Kennedy airport, but the State Department declined to give the go-ahead for the move over fears it could trigger a diplomatic crisis.
Mr Trump is not obliged to hand fugitives over to China as there is no extradition treaty between China and the US.