WASHINGTON (AP) – Billionaire Las Vegas casino owner Phil Ruffin has never been to the White House. On Thursday, he’ll have dinner there with his friend, Donald Trump.
“It’s a lonely job, and I have been friends with him for a long time. It’ll be nice to catch up,” Ruffin said.
Trump has had a rough few weeks, with fellow Republicans dooming a White House-backed health care plan, questions persisting about possible ties between his campaign and Russian interference in the election, and distracting feuds among some of his senior officials.
In short: This president could probably use a friend.
Trump is living alone in the White House while his wife stays in New York where their son is in school. And he’s a newcomer to Washington with few close allies, even within his party, and an especially small social circle.