When Trump has needed cash, a California bank and one of its top shareholders come to the rescue

By BRIAN SLODYSKO
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump left the White House facing a cash crunch that threatened his business empire. But soon a new source stepped forward to provide a financial lifeline. Records show Axos Bank, as well as its largest individual shareholder, have extended more than $500 million in financing that has benefited Trump. The money has helped pay off debts, covered the down payment of a massive civil fraud penalty and helped Trump pocket a tidy profit while escaping from a lease on a money-losing hotel. Axos Bank officials, as well as Hankey, have said that the deals offer a financial upside. But as Trump pursues the White House, ethics experts say they could also grant Hankey and Axos Bank outsize sway in a future Trump administration