ProPublica and WNYC reported on February 5, 2019 that a February 2017 Colony NorthStar memo proposed using Thomas Barrack's relationship with Donald Trump and foreign officials to cultivate administration contacts and attract infrastructure investment, while seeking to avoid the appearance of lobbying; the report said the firm then managed $44 billion, a company assets-under-management figure rather than Barrack's personal wealth, and quoted Colony saying the proposal was never acted upon or implemented.