How the heck did Donald Trump refinance a Trump Tower mortgage with a $100 million loan?

Cillizza: Earlier this year, his longtime accounting firm — Mazars — walked away from the veracity of the last decade of his financial records. Does that factor into this loan at all?

It’s very likely the new lender was aware of these public documents and would have come across them while doing its own due diligence and credit analysis before authorizing the loan. Banks do their own research about the creditworthiness of borrowers and make decisions based on multiple factors. Axos has declined to comment on the loan.

Cillizza: What do we know about the bank that agreed to refinance the loan?

Scannell: Axos Bank is based in San Diego. It was formerly known as the Bank of the Internet, and its president for more than a decade has been Greg Garrabrants, a Trump supporter who previously worked at Goldman Sachs and McKinsey. He and the chief credit officer, who signed the loan agreement, have donated thousands of dollars to Republicans, Trump and Trump-related campaigns in recent years.

Cillizza: Why would they do it given Trump’s financial and legal peril?

Scannell: For banks, it’s about risk, reward and getting repaid.

With that history, Trump has gone to smaller lenders, who have been willing to finance deals based on terms that they’ve negotiated, whether it’s personal guarantees, high interest rates or other security. Collateral for the loans are Trump properties, which in this case is a towering Fifth Avenue condo and office building, with a prime location and Gucci as its flagship tenant. Eric Trump said the company is sound financially despite the legal pressures it’s facing. “We have incredibly low debt, have a tremendous amount of cash and have an extremely profitable company. We had no problem refinancing,” he said.

Cillizza: Finish this sentence: “This refinancing does ________ for Trump’s overall finances.” Now, explain.

Scannell: The deal shows there are still lenders willing to finance the Trump brand even while the parent company is under criminal indictment and there are open investigations into the business and its founder.

Based on Trump’s disclosure, it’s the only loan due in 2022 so it alleviates, for now, any pressure facing the company related to existing debt. The Deutsche Bank loans for his Miami golf course, Trump National Doral, are due next year.