usmbguest5318
Gold Member
Since becoming POTUS, Trump has spent about one in three days at a Trump property.
The man has literally spent on 21 of the 66 days he has been in office at a property bearing his name, most often Mar-a-Lago (MAL -- Click to get a sense of MAL finances).
Now, I don't know the exact number of people in Trump's entourage, but I know it's not one or two or even half a dozen. Everywhere the man goes, there are going to easily be 30 people, likely more, who must be at his side, and some of those people have their own retinue of aides and security personnel.
Then there's the fact that the people in Trump's entourage surely buy food and libations when they are on the property. It's not as though they're going to leave to go to the nearest 7-11 or something. The non-government people quite likely rent rooms there too.
Let me be very clear. I don't necessarily have a problem with Trump going to a non-WH location for the weekend. Just like any other executive role, that of POTUS is 24/7, and execs can work remotely as effectively as they can in their main office. My issue with Trump's travels is that you and I are lining his pockets by having no choice but to foot the bill of his entourage at his pricey properties. I wouldn't nearly as much to say about it were it not that it's his own pockets that we are padding. It's no wonder he's (allegedly) not taking the paltry-by-comparison $400K salary a POTUS is paid.
There is also the fact that whether he uses it or not, American taxpayers pay for a presidential retreat: Camp David. Camp David is already fitted out with everything needed to support the POTUS and his entourage, including a dozen guest cabins located around the property. It even has a golf course.
As a footnote, I'd ask if you remember Trump's speech in which he laments that among the potential downsides of becoming POtUS is that he wouldn't get to play golf because he'd never leave the WH for, in his words, "who would want to?" I just watched on TV the clip of him saying that. I found a printed variation of that remark -- "I would rarely leave the White House because there’s so much work to be done." Once again, Trump's word cannot be relied upon.
The man has literally spent on 21 of the 66 days he has been in office at a property bearing his name, most often Mar-a-Lago (MAL -- Click to get a sense of MAL finances).
Now, I don't know the exact number of people in Trump's entourage, but I know it's not one or two or even half a dozen. Everywhere the man goes, there are going to easily be 30 people, likely more, who must be at his side, and some of those people have their own retinue of aides and security personnel.
- Personal attendants -- personnel like the president’s doctor and assistants
- Secret service -- specially trained security members who are always on hand to protect the president
- White house staff -- people who help with the business of the president, and who will get important work done during the trip
- Journalists – professional journalists who regularly report on the president’s activities wherever he or she is going (I don't expect taxpayers foot the bill for these folks, but they may very well stay at the Trump property.)
- Military personnel -- the guy who carries "The Football" is always present along with other military staff
- Whoever he's meeting with -- If that is a state actor, that person has their own entourage
- Two "cheap" rooms at MAL (two people per room, no room cost for the last night of each multi-night stay) --> $1000 x 4 persons x 12 nights = $96K
- One suite at MAL (3 people sharing one suite, no room charge for the last night of each multi-night stay) --> $5000 x 3 persons x 12 = $180K
- Total minimum room costs --> $96K + $180K = $276,000
Then there's the fact that the people in Trump's entourage surely buy food and libations when they are on the property. It's not as though they're going to leave to go to the nearest 7-11 or something. The non-government people quite likely rent rooms there too.
Let me be very clear. I don't necessarily have a problem with Trump going to a non-WH location for the weekend. Just like any other executive role, that of POTUS is 24/7, and execs can work remotely as effectively as they can in their main office. My issue with Trump's travels is that you and I are lining his pockets by having no choice but to foot the bill of his entourage at his pricey properties. I wouldn't nearly as much to say about it were it not that it's his own pockets that we are padding. It's no wonder he's (allegedly) not taking the paltry-by-comparison $400K salary a POTUS is paid.
There is also the fact that whether he uses it or not, American taxpayers pay for a presidential retreat: Camp David. Camp David is already fitted out with everything needed to support the POTUS and his entourage, including a dozen guest cabins located around the property. It even has a golf course.
As a footnote, I'd ask if you remember Trump's speech in which he laments that among the potential downsides of becoming POtUS is that he wouldn't get to play golf because he'd never leave the WH for, in his words, "who would want to?" I just watched on TV the clip of him saying that. I found a printed variation of that remark -- "I would rarely leave the White House because there’s so much work to be done." Once again, Trump's word cannot be relied upon.
