Who Is Carlos Slim? Donald Trump And Mexican Billionaire Mend Fences Over Mar-A-Lago Dinner?

Donald Trump dined out with the second-richest man in the world over the weekend, according to a new report from Washington Post national political correspondent Philip Rucker. The president-elect hosted Carlos Slim Helú at the New Yorker's Florida golf club in Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night. It was "a lovely dinner with a wonderful man," Trump reportedly said.

While two billionaires enjoying a bite in a tropical setting may not be particularly noteworthy, the pair made for strange bedfellows considering Trump previously directed vitriolic words at Helú for playing a role in the New York Times reports of alleged sexual assaults by the real estate magnate. Namely, Trump claimed in October, it was Helú's link to the newspaper that prompted questions over why the "crooked media" was targeting him.

Trump highlighted the fact that Helú is a New York Times share owner who has previously loaned the newspaper millions of dollars. Helú also has a history of donating to the Clinton Foundation as well as the campaign of Democratic presidential also-ran Hillary Clinton. And one more thing: Helú is Mexican, as in he is from the same land that the president-elect infamously said was "bringing drugs" to the U.S. "They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people," Trump said last year while announcing his presidential candidacy.

But just a few months later it would seem that time has mended any rifts they may have had.

While the nature of their relationship was not immediately clear, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski met with Helú this month, according to a tweet from Washington Post national political reporter Robert Costa.

Trump may have been extending somewhat of an olive branch in anticipation of enforcing his proposed immigration policies that include building a wall along the southern border of the U.S. with Mexico. The president-elect has long maintained that Mexico would pay for that wall. Their meeting on Saturday likely at least included that topic, among others.

Following Election Day, Helú seemed optimistic about Trump's presidency, if not for reasons that the president-elect may not have agreed with, the Washington Post reported. "If Trump is able to grow the United States economy and jobs, that would be fantastic for Mexico," Helú said during a business forum. "If the United States grows 4 percent, increases infrastructure and lowers taxes, that is good."

Helú, 76, is a businessman who built his fortune with several investments after the economic crash of 1982, according to biography.com. The investments proved to be quite lucrative and propelled him to becoming the fourth-wealthiest man in the world with a net worth of $50 billion, according to Forbes. He would later go on to become one of the world's most generous philanthropists.