Ex-British spy Steele, Ivanka Trump friends

WASHINGTON — The former British spy who authored a series of reports alleging links between Russia and President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign had been a personal friend of Trump’s daughter Ivanka, a relationship he said made him “favorably disposed” to the Trump family.

The previously unknown friendship between former intelligence officer Christopher Steele and Ivanka Trump was alluded to in a new report released Monday by the Justice Department’s inspector general, which said Steele had “been friendly” with a Trump family member, a relationship he described as “personal.”

Steele told investigators he had visited the Trump family member at Trump Tower in New York and had once gifted the person a family tartan from Scotland.

A person familiar with Steele’s business Orbis confirmed the family member was Ivanka Trump.

The two met first met in 2007, two years before she married husband Jared Kushner, the person said. They emailed over the years and, between 2010 and 2012, Steele discussed with Ivanka Trump the possibility that the Trump Organization might hire his business to assist with projects in Russia and China. They remained friends through 2015, the person said.