International

Ever the master deal-maker, President Donald Trump reportedly contemplated, or perhaps even joked, about possibly selling two shuttered Russian diplomatic compounds and pocketing the cash, seemingly for the U.S. government.

Trump made the remark at a meeting sometime this summer as his administration was toying with the idea of returning the Maryland- and New York–based sites to the Russians after President Barack Obama had kicked out diplomats and assumed Russian spies for alleged meddling in last year’s election, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The president made reference to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, according to people who attended the meeting, and expressed unwillingness to return the compounds to the Russians.

“I told Rex we’re not giving the real estate back to the Russians,” Trump said at the meeting, according to The Post.

Trump also reportedly “marveled” at the two compounds—one located in Centreville, Maryland, and the other in Upper Brookville, New York—and wondered aloud about their value.

“Should we sell this off and keep the money?” Trump asked, potentially quipping with his famous eye for real estate.