Trump family's lavish lifestyle could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions over 4 years

[smilesammich 10,727]

Quote

On Friday, President Donald Trump and his entourage will jet for the third straight weekend to a working getaway at his oceanfront Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.

On Saturday, Trump's sons Eric and Don Jr., with their Secret Service details in tow, will be nearly 8,000 miles away in the United Arab Emirates, attending the grand opening of a Trump-brand golf resort in the "Beverly Hills of Dubai."

Meanwhile, New York police will keep watch outside the Trump Tower in Manhattan, the chosen home of first lady Melania Trump and son Barron. And the tiny township of Bedminster, New Jersey, is preparing for the daunting prospect that the local Trump golf course will serve as a sort of northern White House for as many as 10 weekends a year.

Barely a month into the Trump presidency, the unusually elaborate lifestyle of America's new first family is straining the Secret Service and security officials, stirring financial and logistical concerns in several local communities, and costing far beyond what has been typical for past presidents - a price tag that, based on past assessments of presidential travel and security costs, could balloon into the hundreds of millions of dollars over the course of a four-year term.

 

Quote

Trump's three Mar-a-Lago trips since the inauguration have likely cost the federal treasury roughly $10 million, based on figures used in an October government report analyzing White House travel, including money for Coast Guard units to patrol the exposed shoreline and other military, security and staffing expenses associated with moving the apparatus of the presidency.

Palm Beach County officials plan to ask Washington to reimburse tens of thousands of dollars a day in expenses for deputies handling added security and traffic issues around the cramped Florida island whenever Trump is in town.

In New York, the city is paying $500,000 a day to guard Trump Tower, according to police officials' estimates, an amount that could reach $183 million a year.

Earlier this month, The Post reported that Secret Service and U.S. embassy staff paid nearly $100,000 in hotel-room bills to support Eric Trump's trip to promote a Trump-brand condo tower in Uruguay.

"This is an expensive way to conduct business, and the president should recognize that," said Tom Fitton, president of the conservative group Judicial Watch, which closely tracked President Barack Obama's family vacation costs and said it intends to continue the effort for the Trump administration.

"The unique thing about President Trump is that he knows what it costs to run a plane." Fitton added, noting that Trump should consider using the presidential retreat of Camp David, a short helicopter ride from the White House, or even his golf course in northern Virginia. Of Mar-a-Lago, Fitton said, "Going down there ain't free."

For Trump, the costs come with an additional perk: Some of the money flows into his own pocket. While Trump has removed himself from managing his company, he has refused to divest his ownership, meaning that he benefits from corporate successes such as government contracts.

The Defense Department and Secret Service, for instance, have sought to rent space in Trump Tower, where leasing a floor can cost $1.5 million a year - though neither agency has disclosed any details. In addition, Trump's travel to his signature properties while trailed by a press corps beaming images to the world allows the official business of the presidency to double as marketing opportunities for his brand.

anybody have problems with this?

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-lifestyle-taxpayers-20170216-story.html

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Start the tote board for Trump vs obama golf rounds and vacation days.

[smilesammich 10,727]

1 minute ago, Transborderwife said:

Start the tote board for Trump vs obama golf rounds and vacation days.

why do we have to pay for trumps spawn lumps to promote trump motels in uruguay? who honestly cares if trumps sons get offed on official trump motel business, i don't even think trump would care too much.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

8 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

why do we have to pay for trumps spawn lumps to promote trump motels in uruguay? who honestly cares if trumps sons get offed on official trump motel business, i don't even think trump would care too much.

Now come on...that's so unfair to Ivanka!   UNFAIR!

 

was that tweet worthy?

[smilesammich 10,727]

4 minutes ago, Transborderwife said:

Now come on...that's so unfair to Ivanka!   UNFAIR!

 

was that tweet worthy?

ivanka is first lady daughter, she gets a pass

Edited February 17, 2017 by smilesammich

[Gloss 57]

"I would rarely leave the White House because there’s so much work to be done,”  said Trump. "I would not be a president who took vacations. I would not be a president that takes time off. You don’t have time to take time off."

 

http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2017/02/13/donald-trump-will-visit-mar-a-lago-again-this-friday-for-the-third-weekend-in-a-row

 

Using taxpayers money for his vacation and at the same time trying to do a dramatic cut to government spending. That's legit.

[smilesammich 10,727]

11 minutes ago, Gloss said:

"I would rarely leave the White House because there’s so much work to be done,”  said Trump. "I would not be a president who took vacations. I would not be a president that takes time off. You don’t have time to take time off."

 

http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2017/02/13/donald-trump-will-visit-mar-a-lago-again-this-friday-for-the-third-weekend-in-a-row

 

Using taxpayers money for his vacation and at the same time trying to do a dramatic cut to government spending. That's legit.

well, the prez sayz he is working so i guess that's his reach around. work around. for our benefit of course, all for the hardworking tax payers..

[bcking 3,157]

I'm sure he is working while he is at Mar-A-Lago, in fact I'm pretty sure I've seen mention of meeting foreign diplomats while there (Do they pay for their hotel rooms there? Conflicts of interest are staggering for Trump).

 

I did see a similar article quoting something like 3 million per weekend he has gone down there. I am not one to take an article at face value (none of us should) and I know that is just speculation. I would really be interested to know the true cost. If these are truly "working weekends", does he really need to fly to Florida every single weekend? Seems excessive unless he wants to volunteer to pay all of the security costs out of pocket.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Isn't funny how the argument hasn't changed, it's just changed sides 

[smilesammich 10,727]

38 minutes ago, bcking said:

I'm sure he is working while he is at Mar-A-Lago, in fact I'm pretty sure I've seen mention of meeting foreign diplomats while there (Do they pay for their hotel rooms there? Conflicts of interest are staggering for Trump).

 

I did see a similar article quoting something like 3 million per weekend he has gone down there. I am not one to take an article at face value (none of us should) and I know that is just speculation. I would really be interested to know the true cost. If these are truly "working weekends", does he really need to fly to Florida every single weekend? Seems excessive unless he wants to volunteer to pay all of the security costs out of pocket.

presidents don't have conflicts of interest. not since trump took over.

it's speculation based on factual costs, not exactly a guesstimate per say. 

this article sourced from the main wapo article, but nowadays wapo might as well be the national enquirer for trump supporters anyway

[smilesammich 10,727]

Just now, Nature Boy Flair said:

Isn't funny how the argument hasn't changed, it's just changed sides 

no it has changed, trump is on the way to costs HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS more than obama. that is a signification change in cost.

[Umka36 781]

Since President Trump immediate family is large compared to passed Presidents, I'm not surprise of the higher logistic/security costs. For me it's a non issue, just like when people complained about President Obama's vacation/golfing. It's the perks of being President.

[bcking 3,157]

5 minutes ago, Umka36 said:

Since President Trump immediate family is large compared to passed Presidents, I'm not surprise of the higher logistic/security costs. For me it's a non issue, just like when people complained about President Obama's vacation/golfing. It's the perks of being President.

Presidents should practice proper stewardship, and have respect for the people they are governing. Presidents need vacations, they need to get away. I don't think it is really appropriate to "get away" every single weekend. We'll see how long it lasts but at least the last 3 weekends has been in Florida. That seems excessive. While yes he can technically do it, the issue that comes up again and again with Trump is the difference between what he CAN do and what he SHOULD do. Joking that Mar-A-Lago is a "Winter Whitehouse" is all fun and good except that establishing it as such costs millions of dollars that he isn't paying (and I still have to ask - Do they pay the hotel for the rooms for Secret Service etc... like they pay Trump Tower in NYC?).

[smilesammich 10,727]

17 minutes ago, Umka36 said:

Since President Trump immediate family is large compared to passed Presidents, I'm not surprise of the higher logistic/security costs. For me it's a non issue, just like when people complained about President Obama's vacation/golfing. It's the perks of being President.

what about earning double perks as president? i don't think he's been vacationing the past three weekends but there's something wrong with being able to buy membership to a club in the hopes that you'll see live national security play out or the president might photobomb your dinner party.

 

 

[bcking 3,157]

1 minute ago, smilesammich said:

what about earning double perks as president? i don't think he's been vacationing the past three weekends but there's something wrong with being able to buy membership to a club in the hopes that you'll see live national security play out or the president might photobomb your dinner party.

 

 

Not only that though,

 

Do the actual official political visitors that travel to see him in Florida pay to stay at Mar-a-lago? Did Prime Minister Abe stay there, and did they pay Mar-a-lago? Of course he would take "business weekends" to the hotel if he can then charge dignitaries to stay there in order to visit with him, and his family in the process makes money.

Edited February 17, 2017 by bcking