Key facts
- Rodney Mims Cook Jr. conveyed a greeting from Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin.
- Cook visited St. Petersburg and expressed admiration for the city.
- Putin sent greetings back to Trump through Cook.
Rodney Mims Cook Jr., the chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, has conveyed a message of greeting from former U.S. President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Cook, who was visiting St. Petersburg, expressed his admiration for the city's beauty. During the interaction, Cook relayed Trump's greetings to Putin. In return, Putin also passed on his own greetings to Trump via Cook. The exchange highlights a continued, albeit indirect, line of communication between figures associated with the former U.S. administration and the current Russian leadership.