How Much Money Have Taxpayers Spent On Trump Vacations

A Coast Guard patrol boat in the waters off Mar-A-Lago. J. David Ake/AP hide caption

toggle caption

J. David Ake/AP

A Coast Guard patrol boat in the waters off Mar-A-Lago.

J. David Ake/AP

President Trump's travels to his private club Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., requite the chief executive a hazard to unwind, hang out with friends and play golf game. Just that presidential residual and recreation comes with a toll.

A new report from the Government Accountability Part says iv such trips early on in Trump's presidency cost taxpayers $13.half dozen million, or some $3.4 million each. That is far higher than the estimates of Trump'southward travel costs early in his presidency, which were pegged at well-nigh $1 1000000 per trip.

The congressional watchdog's written report is the first official accounting of Trump's travel costs. The report as well constitute that the Clandestine Service spent well-nigh $400,000 protecting Trump's sons Donald Jr. and Eric on trips they took in January and February 2017. The costs of Trump'south visits to Florida were calculated based on trips in February and March of that year.

The GAO found that the regime spent $10.6 million for the operating costs of government aircraft and boats and $3 million for "temporary duty costs of government personnel supporting the President'southward travel, including transportation, lodging, and meals and incidental expenses."

Trump's frequent visits to Mar-a-Lago, other Trump-branded golf courses and his hotel in Washington, D.C., have been criticized as serving as taxpayer-funded advertising for his business interests.

The GAO study was requested by congressional Democrats.

It as well found that $60,000 was paid to Mar-a-Lago in expenses for the iv trips, virtually of that for rooms at the resort for Secret Service agents. The report noted, nonetheless, that about agents did not stay at Mar-a-Lago.

The GAO found that in improver to the Hole-and-corner Service, the Defense Section and the Coast Guard incurred costs related to the president'due south travel.

Presidential travel costs are a frequent political target. President Obama came nether criticism from some conservatives and past Trump for flights he took to his abode state of Hawaii besides equally to vacation spots such every bit Martha's Vineyard.

Before entering politics, Trump frequently tweeted criticisms about the loftier toll of presidential travel.

Co-ordinate to the Washington Mail service, Trump has taken some 19 trips to Mar-a-Lago during his presidency so far. If the boilerplate cost of $3.4 million for the commencement four trips is extrapolated, that means the president's vacations have price taxpayers at least $64.6 million. And that doesn't count travel to his society in Bedminster, N.J., where Trump goes in the summertime.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2019/02/05/691684859/government-watchdog-trumps-trips-to-florida-costing-taxpayers-millions

Posted by: johnsonthearle.blogspot.com