Practically every weekend since Donald Trump has been in office, he has taken Air Force One to Palm Beach, Florida, for some golf and to host international leaders at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Reports of the expenses it takes to cover these trips and his stays by Blasting News said that it was stressing out local communities and shaking down taxpayers.
New York is 'too expensive'
In the article about the Secret Service's budget request; it explains how that protection and those stays are another opportunity to shamelessly funnel more revenue into Donald Trump's businesses.
Blasting News also reported recently that the State Department had to take down an article they shared on their website which appeared to be "selling" tourism for the Mar-a-Lago resort which Trump calls the "winter White House."
But now that Mar-a-Lago is closed for the summer, Trump has decided to relocate over to the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, rather than Trump Tower in New York. His reasoning for this was explained in an interview with Fox News on Friday before going to the club saying that it was saving taxpayers money. He also said that going to New York is too expensive because they have to close up the streets. In fact, he even said in the interview that he felt a little guilty every time he went there.
Already expensive to not live in White House
The president says his trip to New Jersey is saving money. That explanation doesn't really hold up, writes @JVenook: https://t.co/cYs8uFD6us pic.twitter.com/4FZEqLE51q
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) May 6, 2017
Another reason he claimed he was saving the country money was because the golf club -- like his other properties -- were already his, spacious and secure.
However, in one report by the Atlantic, it's suggested that the taxpayer funded mansion in Washington is already saving money that isn't spent on him going to another location. This is the consensus thinking, that U.S. presidents are to take residence in the White House. Traditionally, the nation's first president George Washington -- while he established the White House -- never lived in it, but every president has.
Even when there has been a restoration project or even with a fire, all presidents have stayed there. As the mentioned Blasting News article stated, Trump Tower requires that the Secret Service secure it by building infrastructure to protect Trump and to also take residence there. In the case where they would have to take residence, the Secret Service reportedly have to pay for their stay which in turn becomes revenue for Trump Tower.
It also says that the budget request by the Secret Service surpassed what was spent on former President Obama's total security for eight years within only a matter of months. A spokesperson for Trump defended this, saying that the President doesn't make the decision as to how much it will cost to protect him.
President Trump has been criticized for golfing more than President Obama, who he criticized over the years for doing so. During his Fox News interview, he defended himself by saying that he couldn't care less about golf. While its been reported that the President would be spending the weekend at what he refers to as "North Camp David," it's expected that he will be going there regularly throughout the summer.
