Does Trump Pay For His Own Vacations

When Trump Visits His Clubs Government Agencies And Republicans Pay To Be Where He Is

When President Trump finished the first official rally of his reelection campaign this week, he got on Air Force One. But he didnt go home to Washington. Instead, he flew 190 miles in the opposite direction to visit his own Doral golf resort, outside Miami.

The resorts profits have fallen since Trump took office. But it had a major event planned for the next day, a fundraiser for Trumps reelection campaign.

It would be his 126th visit to one of his properties since taking office. And this visit like more than a dozen before it would bring paying customers, allowing Trump to play a double role.

The president would be the headliner and the caterer.

Trump has bigger designs for the Doral club: He has suggested holding next years Group of Seven meeting a gathering of world leaders at Doral or another of his luxury resorts, current and former White House staffers said.

Since taking office, Trump has faced pushback about his official visits to his properties from some of his aides, including inside the White House Counsels Office. They worried about the appearance that he was using the power of the presidency to direct taxpayer money into his own pockets, according to current and former White House officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

They gave Trump valuable marketing opportunities to showcase his opulent properties on an international stage.

I assure you, he said. Its not business we want.

Theyre thrilled.

Ap Fact Check: Do Trumps Mar

WASHINGTON With President Donald Trump making his seventh presidential trip this weekend to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, government watchdogs and Democrats are once again seeing dollar signs: namely, $3 million.

Thats a widely used estimate of what each journey costs taxpayers. The figure comes from a government report on a trip President Barack Obama made to Palm Beach, Florida, but the reports author tells The Associated Press that its a mistake to apply those findings to Trumps travel.

A conservative group that closely monitors presidential expenses puts the tab for each Mar-a-Lago visit closer to $1 million.

Neither the Secret Service, which protects the president, nor the Department of Defense, which transports presidential vehicles from place to place, has provided a tally of any Mar-a-Lago trip, although a government office is working up estimates that will eventually become public.

So why does anyone care whether Trump is frequenting Florida, and how did $3 million become the common wisdom as the cost of each visit?

Trump himself drew attention to the issue when he called Obama a habitual vacationer who was costing taxpayers money. He repeatedly harangued Obama about it on Twitter between 2011 and last year.

But with seven Mar-a-Lago visits in less than three months, is Trump guilty of the same thing? Fitton says he doesnt think so but added, Its not what we expected from him, given his criticism of Obama.

THE FACTS

Barack Obamas Favorite Vacation Destination: Hawaii

On his 2015 Christmas vacation, Obama and his family visited Hawaii, reported ABC News. While there they ate at Buzzs Original Steak House in Lanikai, visited the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, traipsed around Bellows Beach and teed off at the Marine Corp Base Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course.

In fact, Christmas in Hawaii was something of a tradition for the Obama family, since its where Barack Obama grew up. By the time he left office, he and his family had spent eight Christmases in the Aloha State for an average two-week stay.

As former First Lady Michelle Obama explained in a Christian Science Monitor article, visiting Hawaii over Christmas is such an important tradition, I wouldnt want to be anywhere else in the world.

The Obamas didnt just hit Hawaii, though. They also vacationed in places as diverse as French Polynesia, the Caribbean and Bali. But for the most part, the Obama family tended to spend their summers in Marthas Vineyard, according to Travel + Leisure magazine.

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Fact Or Fiction: The President Pays For The First Familys Groceries

This is a fact! The president of the United States pays for meals for himself, his family and personal guests. This includes the First Familys private Thanksgiving meal. The First Family must also pay for their own household expenses, down to the toothpaste and the First Ladys clothing. Although the president pays his familys personal meals, the White House chefs who often prepare the presidents meals are paid by the government.

State dinners are paid for by taxpayers.Image Source: foxnews.com

The president also pays for private parties, such as birthday parties. For example, at Michelle Obamas 50th birthday bash, President Obama actually paid for the food and beverages, waiters and servers and setup and cleanup crews.

Each month, the White House ushers office prepares a detailed bill and sends a copy to the president and to the first lady. Laura Bush, for example, was surprised to learn how much she had to spend on designer clothes to dress like the First Lady. Yet, the job of First Lady doesnt come with a clothing allowance or a salary. even racked up tens of thousands of dollars in clothing bills and considered selling manure from the White House grounds to pay them off. Although designers sometimes donate outfits, the First Lady cannot keep donated gifts. Instead, they are kept in national archives.

Image Source: npr.org

What Is The White House Budget

For the budget year that ended September 30, 2014, Congress gave the White House $19,000 to pay for official receptions and $12.7m to cover operating expenses for the residence, which may include entertainment. However, the cost to taxpayers associated with running the White House under is still approximately $1.4 billion per year. The costs include staffing, travel, and security.

Image Source: dailymail.co.uk

Compare that to the Queen of Englands budget for Buckingham Palace, which is only one of her many palaces. In 2014 the Royal family was given £31 million a year to fund royal duties, pay staff and maintain the palaces.

What do you think? Is it right that the President pay for his own familys personal expenses in the White House? Or should the Office of the Presidency be as worry-free as possible.

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George W Bushs Vacation Costs

• Estimated vacation costs: About $124.7 million in travel costs to Texas ranch

The Washington Post reported that former President George W. Bush took a total of 879 vacation days, including 77 visits to his privately-owned Texas ranch, as well as additional visits to his family home in Kennebunkport, Maine. While some presidents take advantage of fancy travel and fine dining, Bush seemed happiest at his ranch, where he spent 490 of his 2,922 days in office, according to Business Insider.

There isnt an exact figure to sum up Bushs total expenses because available estimates dont include Secret Service costs. But you can come up with a rough estimate by beginning with the estimated cost of Air Force One operation at the time roughly $179,750 per hour. When you multiply that by the nine-hour round trip from Washington, D.C. to Crawford, Texas, and then multiply that total by 77 ranch trips, the total Air Force One cost for those trips alone comes to about $124. 7 million.

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Trump’s golf outings

Trumps golf trips have almost exclusively been to his properties. Below is a breakdown of Trumps visits.

• 1 of 193 outings were to the Presidents Cup
• 2 of 193 outings were in Japan
• 3 of 193 outings were at Trumps Ireland course
• 190 of 193 outings were to Trumps golf properties
• 20 flights to Bedminster, New Jersey, to visit Trumps course
• 24 flights to Mar-a-Lago

At his current pace Trump will visit his golf properties about 310 times and if he is re-elected it would 620.

Air Force One

Defense Visual Information Distribution Services, GAO-19-178

So far Trumps golf trips have cost at least $105 million

Trumps trips to his golf courses are very expensive and much more than Obamas since Trumps have been more frequent and usually requires Air Force One and all the accompanying security arraignments.

From a combination of an analysis from the HuffPost, the GAO or General Accounting Office, Politico and the Washington Post using costs from both Obama and Trump golf trips the estimated cost of Trumps visits so far come to a range of $105 to $108 million. When you extrapolate the $105 million estimate to eight years, assuming Trump is re-elected, the total cost is over $340 million.

GAO report on four visits to Mar-a-Lago by President Trump

General Accounting Office

The GAO report estimated that just four of Trumps trips to Mar-a-Lago cost:

President’s limo

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What It Costs Taxpayers For The President To Go On Vacation

There may be no job more grueling than Leader of the Free World. U.S. presidents have very full schedules, and occasionally they need vacation time to refresh and reboot. But even those vacations arent always that relaxing. As former President Ronald Reagans wife Nancy Reagan once acerbically noted, Presidents dont get vacations they just get a change of scenery.

Say It Isnt So: Crazy Financial Perks of Being President

While we want our presidents to get important downtime, the costs of these vacations add up for the American taxpayer. Keep reading to learn how much money various presidents have racked up in vacation costs and how much taxpayers have had to fork over to foot the bill. One note: The estimates below are based on analyses from different sources using a range of criteria, and should not be taken as precise figures. Some sources will likely have different figures. Keep reading to learn about the crazy financial perks of being president.

Bill Clintons Favorite Vacation Destination: Marthas Vineyard

Clinton much preferred Marthas Vineyard, where he golfed at Farm Neck Golf Club, bought plenty of books at Bickerton & Ripley Books and Bunch of Grapes, sipped coffee at Espresso Love and rode bikes, according to Boston magazine. In fact, the Clintons are known to still hold fundraisers and other events on Marthas Vineyard. You can party like a Clinton with a Marthas Vineyard Airbnb for about $300 to $800 per night.

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Find Out More *daytime Visits To Golf Clubs Since Inauguration With Evidence Of Playing Golf On At Least 150 Visits Our Last Recorded Outing Was On December 30 2020 Click On Complete Data Table For A List Of Trump’s Outings Or View Our Breakdown Of Total Costs **read About The New Gao Report On The Cost Of Trump’s Trips To Mar

* Security costs to local governments in Florida and New Jersey, budgeted at $6.4 million per year, are reimbursed by the Federal government, and are included in the Trump Golf Count total on a prorated basis. While we report exact dollar amounts, it should be noted that these numbers are based on imprecise estimates. See our FAQ page for more information and sources.

Breaking Down All Of The Trump Family’s Travel Costs And Lavish Expenditures

Chris Riotta CultureDonald TrumpFirst familyVacationEthics

The Trumps are set to become the most expensive first family in history if they don’t immediately begin reducing their lavish spending habits and frequent trips across the globe and taxpayers are set to continue picking up the tab for as long as they keep it up. For context, President Donald Trump is expected to outpace the entirety of former President Barack Obama’s eight-year travel costs with plenty of time to spare in just his first year as the leader of the free world.

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Whereas Obama spent close to $12.1 million annually in travel costs, Trump may have already doubled that benchmark on trips to Mar-A-Lago alone before the close of his first 100 days. But getting the new president from point A to point B isn’t the only expenditure raising eyebrows: the price tag that comes with the new first family is quickly becoming equally concerning to Trump’s opponents and supporters alike.

President Trump’s trips to Mar-A-Lago

• Total cost for security in Palm Beach: $3.7 million
• Roundtrip flights from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland to West Palm, Florida: $700,000
• Overtime for local law enforcement during Trump’s trips: $60,000/day
• Total golf cart rentals ordered by the Secret Service “for POTUS visit”: $35,185
• Loss to business due to airport closure: -$30,000/weekend

Keeping the first family in Trump Towers

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