Donald Trump has launched a twisted Twitter attack on fellow real-estate titan Douglas Durst — blaming him for making Durst’s estranged brother, Robert, who killed and decapitated a Texas neighbor, “angry.”
If Trump hasn’t lost his head, he might have lost his mind. Buried amidst his tweets last week touting his golf courses and line of ties at Macy’s was this one on Dec. 20:
“Personally, I think Douglas Durst’s brother got screwed by Douglas — no wonder he’s angry.”
Robert Durst spent three years in prison for the Texas killing, but was spared worse punishment thanks to a “self-defense” claim. He also was questioned, but not charged, in the 1982 disappearance of his wife, Kathleen McCormack, who was never found, and in the 2000 murder of Susan Berman, a writer believed to have known something about the McCormack case.
Last month, Robert Durst, 70, was arrested again, for snooping around a West 43rd Street building owned by the Durst family. Thirteen members of the family have restraining orders against Robert.
Trump’s tweet drew gasps from real-estate insiders, who didn’t want to comment on the sensitive matter.
Asked to clarify what he meant, Trump told us Monday: “I’ve heard [Robert’s] brother [Douglas] treated him very badly,” without citing specifics.
“I’ve heard his brother, who might be some kind of a serial killer and went off and did bad things, was screwed along the line.”
Trump has been on a tear about Douglas Durst, who developed Midtown’s One Bryant Park and is the Port Authority’s partner in 1 World Trade Center.
Also on Dec. 20, Trump tweeted, “@AGSchneiderman why is Douglas Durst allowed to use the Freedom Tower to get out of a lease with Condé Nast?”
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is suing Trump for fraud over his “Trump University.” But Trump seemed to suggest the AG should instead probe a legitimate deal that Durst, Condé Nast and the Port Authority signed nearly two years ago.
The publisher is leaving Durst’s 4 Times Square for 1 WTC in 2015. As part of the state- and city-backed effort to lure a major uptown company to the iconic skyscraper, the PA agreed to pay Condé Nast’s remaining Times Square rent after it moves.
Trump said Monday: “A lot of people are talking about the whole Condé Nast thing. He gave them a sweetheart lease at the Freedom Tower to get them out of his Broadway building where he could then charge a higher rent” to a new tenant.
But Donald, didn’t Durst simply make a great deal like the kind you talked about in your book, “The Art of the Deal?”
“Why would the government be allowed to make such a stupid deal?” he answered.
Douglas Durst declined comment.