Donald Trump meets Cornwall hotelier who scooped £100,000 betting on US election

A hotelier who scooped more than £100,000 by backing Donald Trump to win the US election has met the president and his wife.

Donald Trump meets Cornwall hotelier who scooped £100,000 betting on US election

A hotelier who scooped more than £100,000 by backing Donald Trump to win the US election has met the president and his wife.

John Mappin, owner of the Camelot Castle Hotel in Tintagel, Cornwall, met Mr Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at a Republican party fundraising event in Washington.

Mr Mappin, 51, won £110,767 after placing 33 bets with William Hill on the billionaire businessman beating Hillary Clinton.

He attended the fundraising event on June 28 at the Trump International Hotel and was ushered to a private room to meet the president and first lady before dinner.

"I was honoured and privileged to be hauled into a private room for a reception with the president and first lady," Mr Mappin said.

"I was introduced to him as the fellow who had backed him. He had with him one of the newspaper articles that reported the bet.

"He turned to his wife and said: "This is fantastic, this guy has made a lot of money backing me".

"I replied: "Well sir, Mr President, when you back a winner you win"."

No photographs were taken of the private meeting.

Mr Mappin, who is a member of the family behind Bond Street jewellers Mappin and Webb, said Mr Trump and his wife seemed "completely delighted" to meet him.

"It was a brief meeting but it was long enough to get a measure of him as a person," he added.

"Despite what everybody else has said about this fellow, he is a wonderful person.

"He loves his country. He loves the people of America. He has been completely misjudged."

Mr Mappin hopes Mr Trump will come to visit him in Cornwall, where he lives with his wife Irina and their young son Caspian.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Pope urges priests to avoid ‘clerical hypocrisy’ in Maundy Thursday speech Pope urges priests to avoid ‘clerical hypocrisy’ in Maundy Thursday speech
Russia wears down Ukrainian defences with missile and drone attacks Russia wears down Ukrainian defences with missile and drone attacks
Paramedics among 16 people killed by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon Paramedics among 16 people killed by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited