Patriots owner Bob Kraft apparently recently gave President Trump some tax-policy advice.
The two men have long been friends, and Trump told the Wall Street Journal that Kraft gave him the advice after a recent dinner.
“Donald, don’t worry about the rich people,’’ President Trump said Kraft told him. “Tax the rich people. You’ve got to take care of the people in the country. It was a very interesting statement. I feel the same way.’’
It remains to be seen if Trump really feels the same way.
But Kraft could have given Trump some advice on being wary when dealing with Vladimir Putin.
Kraft has often told the story that in a 2005 business meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, with Putin, he let the Russian president try on one of his Super Bowl rings.
There is even a picture of Putin holding the ring while shaking hands with Kraft.
“I could kill someone with this ring,’’ Putin said.
“I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket and three KGB guys got around him and walked out,’’ Kraft said. Putin didn’t say a word as he walked off with the ring.
Kraft said he later called the White House and was told, “It would really be in the best interest of US-Soviet relations if you meant to give him the ring as a present.’’
Kraft didn’t like that idea.
“I had an emotional tie to the ring,’’ he said. “It had my name on it. I didn’t want to see it on eBay.’’
The White House person then repeated the statement about him saying it was a gift and it wasn’t until several years later that Kraft admitted what had really happened.
At the time, he issued a statement that he gave Putin the ring “as a symbol of the respect and admiration that I have for the Russian people and the leadership of President Putin.’’
When Kraft told the real story, a Putin spokesman said the story was “weird’’ and that it was clearly meant as a gift and is currently in the Kremlin library.
Despite that notorious incident, Kraft still like to have people try on his Super Bowl rings. At a Super Bowl party a few years ago, I ran into him and he let my older daughter, Tracy, try on a Super Bowl. She was thrilled and posed for photos.
Of course, she then returned the ring. Unlike Putin, she didn’t try to keep it for the Stellino library.