Last Thursday, Trump wrote a letter to Hisham Elzanaty, an investor in the controversial Islamic center site, with an interesting offer. In the interest of extinguishing the emotional debate surrounding the planned center, Trump offered to buy the building from Elzanaty for cash plus 25%. Trump said he has the funds in cash, could close the deal immediately, and would do so on the stipulation that the investors assure that if a mosque is to be built, it will be located at least 5 blocks further from the Ground Zero site. But Elzanaty did not consider Trump’s proposal a real offer and rejected it.
Elzanaty said he has received other offers, but declined them. He also believes the property might be worth more down the road, so he is considering holding on to it.
“I am making this offer as a resident of New York and citizen of the United States, not because I think the location is a spectacular one (because it is not), but because it will end a very serious, inflammatory and highly divisive situation that is destined, in my opinion, to only get worse,” Trump said. “Hopefully, something good can happen!” he concluded.
