And Macri told a story everyone in the room found hilarious. Here it is, as recalled by one source in the room and confirmed, in broad detail, by another source in the room and a third source briefed on the conversation:

When Macri was running for president, he got a phone call out of the blue. "This is Donald Trump," Macri told the people in the room, impersonating the future president and pretending to hold a phone to his head. "I've been watching you."

The call amazed Macri, he told listeners. "Trump goes on to say, 'I remember you fondly and I remember the business deal,'" one participant recalled. "And Macri says, 'Fondly? Fondly, you son of a gun?'"

Trump told Macri he would help him. "Yeah, yeah," Macri replied, as if he didn't think much of it at the time.

Some days after the call, a big FedEx envelope came in the mail with a check from Trump to Macri's campaign. One source thought the check was for $500; another thought $5,000.

Then came the punchline: Macri told the room that when his team went to deposit the check, it bounced.