What's so Wrong with PM Abe visiting Mar-a-Lago?

[OldLady]

Weekend visit to Trump resort by Japan’s Abe raises an ethics question: Who pays?

People are getting their panties all in a twist because Trump has invited PM Abe to Mar a Lago for the weekend. They are wondering who is going to pay for Abe's visit.
Why does it cost anything? Trump has a private residence there, where one would assume Abe will stay. Even PBS is calling it the "Winter White House." Does the WH charge foreign dignitaries when they spend the night? Bill them for State dinners? Seems the same to me. Besides that, Trump owns the damned club, so why would he charge Abe anything? I don't get all that.

What I wonder more about is all the WH hoopla that must be going on behind the scenes. Chefs and old time staffers blowing a fuse that a head of state is being entertained OFF SITE. How many of the chefs and secret service and WH staff with experience in foreign visitors are going with the President to the resort to pull of this visit by a Big Deal.

Another thing I wonder about is, does the resort clear out for security purposes when the President arrives, or do the balls and weddings and special dinners in the club still go on? Does Trump clear the restaurant when he goes to eat? Will people be running into Abe and Trump in the little boys room during cocktail hour? I'd like to know more about all of that.

But if anyone knows why it is supposedly unethical to invite a PM to the Winter White House, your own home, for a weekend, and why you would expect anyone to pay for staying at a club you own, please explain.

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

Weekend visit to Trump resort by Japan’s Abe raises an ethics question: Who pays?

People are getting their panties all in a twist because Trump has invited PM Abe to Mar a Lago for the weekend. They are wondering who is going to pay for Abe's visit.
Why does it cost anything? Trump has a private residence there, where one would assume Abe will stay. Even PBS is calling it the "Winter White House." Does the WH charge foreign dignitaries when they spend the night? Bill them for State dinners? Seems the same to me. Besides that, Trump owns the damned club, so why would he charge Abe anything? I don't get all that.

What I wonder more about is all the WH hoopla that must be going on behind the scenes. Chefs and old time staffers blowing a fuse that a head of state is being entertained OFF SITE. How many of the chefs and secret service and WH staff with experience in foreign visitors are going with the President to the resort to pull of this visit by a Big Deal.

Another thing I wonder about is, does the resort clear out for security purposes when the President arrives, or do the balls and weddings and special dinners in the club still go on? Does Trump clear the restaurant when he goes to eat? Will people be running into Abe and Trump in the little boys room during cocktail hour? I'd like to know more about all of that.

But if anyone knows why it is supposedly unethical to invite a PM to the Winter White House, your own home, for a weekend, and why you would expect anyone to pay for staying at a club you own, please explain.

From my reading of this situation there's nothing wrong with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visiting Mar-a-Largo, just like there was nothing wrong with GWB inviting other world leaders to spend time at his Crawford Ranch.

This is yet another storm in a teacup.

"Another thing I wonder about is, does the resort clear out for security purposes when the President arrives, or do the balls and weddings and special dinners in the club still go on? Does Trump clear the restaurant when he goes to eat? Will people be running into Abe and Trump in the little boys room during cocktail hour? I'd like to know more about all of that."

With regard to the above I don't know, I would think that the section where President Trump and his family stay there would be very tight security and it will be completely off limits to all but the vetted and invited.

The rest of the resort probably things go on as normal, but with added security detailing.

 

[OldLady]

My advice to everyone is, pick your battles. This is not one worth wasting energy on.

For real, my guess is that this is a huge headache for the Secret Service, who managed to keep past Presidents in their gilded cage, pretty much. They are too good to say anything publicly, but between pissing contests with Trump's private security staff and the President's weekend forays, they must be miserable. And I just KNOW the White House head chef is throwing a fit that he won't be cooking for the PM. Unless he's going down, too.

 

[depotoo]

Bill charged them. Lol. Article from 1997 re Lincoln bedroom at White House
AllPolitics - Bedroom Bucks - Feb. 26, 1997

Weekend visit to Trump resort by Japan’s Abe raises an ethics question: Who pays?

People are getting their panties all in a twist because Trump has invited PM Abe to Mar a Lago for the weekend. They are wondering who is going to pay for Abe's visit.
Why does it cost anything? Trump has a private residence there, where one would assume Abe will stay. Even PBS is calling it the "Winter White House." Does the WH charge foreign dignitaries when they spend the night? Bill them for State dinners? Seems the same to me. Besides that, Trump owns the damned club, so why would he charge Abe anything? I don't get all that.

What I wonder more about is all the WH hoopla that must be going on behind the scenes. Chefs and old time staffers blowing a fuse that a head of state is being entertained OFF SITE. How many of the chefs and secret service and WH staff with experience in foreign visitors are going with the President to the resort to pull of this visit by a Big Deal.

Another thing I wonder about is, does the resort clear out for security purposes when the President arrives, or do the balls and weddings and special dinners in the club still go on? Does Trump clear the restaurant when he goes to eat? Will people be running into Abe and Trump in the little boys room during cocktail hour? I'd like to know more about all of that.

But if anyone knows why it is supposedly unethical to invite a PM to the Winter White House, your own home, for a weekend, and why you would expect anyone to pay for staying at a club you own, please explain.

 

[shockedcanadian]

This is doing business on a budget to be honest. Americans should be applauding this. He hosts a major foreign leader and a growing trading partner at home and at the end of the weekend they could have discussions in theories on TRILLIONS of dollars in new business plus broader geopolitical issues agreed upon.

The irony of this is that Trump is used to negotiating with CEO's, this isn't even schmoozing for him, not even close. CEO's, heavy hitters and major investors don't conduct business over a coffee at the local coffee shop, they play golf, they have long dinners and go to plays, sporting events etc. This is a bargain for taxpayers.

Saying this is not a fight worth picking is very accurate, in fact, it's not a fight even worth entertaining. There is nothing to fight as long as you recognize how vital this relationship is for America. Which, by the way, I've said myself many times, a strong economic relationship with Japan is extremely beneficial to America, for so many reasons. Put in perspective what Canada has been doing for decades, selling influence to China...the race to the bottom and you will better appreciate these efforts.

Good for Trump. Flashback to the 1980's when Japan was he growing powerhouse of the world economy, now they are the best place for Americans to build stronger economic ties while other nations race to the bottom.

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

This is doing business on a budget to be honest. Americans should be applauding this. He hosts a major foreign leader and a growing trading partner at home and at the end of the weekend they could have discussions in theories on TRILLIONS of dollars in new business plus broader geopolitical issues agreed upon.

The irony of this is that Trump is used to negotiating with CEO's, this isn't even schmoozing for him, not even close. CEO's, heavy hitters and major investors don't conduct business over a coffee at the local coffee shop, they play golf, they have long dinners and go to plays, sporting events etc. This is a bargain for taxpayers.

Saying this is not a fight worth picking is very accurate, in fact, it's not a fight even worth entertaining. There is nothing to fight as long as you recognize how vital this relationship is for America. Which, by the way, I've said myself many times, a strong economic relationship with Japan is extremely beneficial to America, for so many reasons. Put in perspective what Canada has been doing for decades, selling influence to China...the race to the bottom and you will better appreciate these efforts.

Good for Trump. Flashback to the 1980's when Japan was he growing powerhouse of the world economy, now they are the best place for Americans to build stronger economic ties while other nations race to the bottom.

President Trump should get along better with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe than the Neo-Socialist Barack Obama.

The Republican Party have more in common with Mr. Abe's Liberal Democratic Party than do the Democratic Party of America. Japan is a very Conservative nation.

The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan

Ideology

Conservatism
Japanese nationalism
National conservatism
Liberal conservatism
Social conservatism

Political position Centre-right to Right-wing

Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) - Wikipedia

The Democratic Party in Japan are the main opposition party, but they're not too popular and have very little seats in proportion to Mr. Abe's LDP in either House of the National Diet (The House of Councillors, the Upper House and The House of Representatives, the Lower House)

Ideology

Big tent
Liberalism
Social liberalism

Political position Centre

Democratic Party (Japan) - Wikipedia

 

[blackhawk]

Nothing it's just another excuse to make a mountain out of molehill.

 

[EverCurious]

Related - Inside Trump’s Palm Beach castle and his 30-year fight to win over the locals

 

[Political Junky]

This is two trips there in as many weeks.

 

[theHawk]

Weekend visit to Trump resort by Japan’s Abe raises an ethics question: Who pays?

People are getting their panties all in a twist because Trump has invited PM Abe to Mar a Lago for the weekend. They are wondering who is going to pay for Abe's visit.
Why does it cost anything? Trump has a private residence there, where one would assume Abe will stay. Even PBS is calling it the "Winter White House." Does the WH charge foreign dignitaries when they spend the night? Bill them for State dinners? Seems the same to me. Besides that, Trump owns the damned club, so why would he charge Abe anything? I don't get all that.

What I wonder more about is all the WH hoopla that must be going on behind the scenes. Chefs and old time staffers blowing a fuse that a head of state is being entertained OFF SITE. How many of the chefs and secret service and WH staff with experience in foreign visitors are going with the President to the resort to pull of this visit by a Big Deal.

Another thing I wonder about is, does the resort clear out for security purposes when the President arrives, or do the balls and weddings and special dinners in the club still go on? Does Trump clear the restaurant when he goes to eat? Will people be running into Abe and Trump in the little boys room during cocktail hour? I'd like to know more about all of that.

But if anyone knows why it is supposedly unethical to invite a PM to the Winter White House, your own home, for a weekend, and why you would expect anyone to pay for staying at a club you own, please explain.

If he did charge the Japanese entourage, the left would howl that Trump is just doing it to make money. The left are going to automatically protest no matter what. They're just petulant children at this point. There is no rationality to their actions, other than to bring attention to themselves.

 

[EverCurious]

If the Japanese entourage is charged, it goes to the US treasury. They'd be stupid to cry about it...

 

[EvilCat Breath]

The democrats have vowed to complain and attack everything, absolutely everything Trump does. This is just more of the same.

 

[aris2chat]

Weekend visit to Trump resort by Japan’s Abe raises an ethics question: Who pays?

People are getting their panties all in a twist because Trump has invited PM Abe to Mar a Lago for the weekend. They are wondering who is going to pay for Abe's visit.
Why does it cost anything? Trump has a private residence there, where one would assume Abe will stay. Even PBS is calling it the "Winter White House." Does the WH charge foreign dignitaries when they spend the night? Bill them for State dinners? Seems the same to me. Besides that, Trump owns the damned club, so why would he charge Abe anything? I don't get all that.

What I wonder more about is all the WH hoopla that must be going on behind the scenes. Chefs and old time staffers blowing a fuse that a head of state is being entertained OFF SITE. How many of the chefs and secret service and WH staff with experience in foreign visitors are going with the President to the resort to pull of this visit by a Big Deal.

Another thing I wonder about is, does the resort clear out for security purposes when the President arrives, or do the balls and weddings and special dinners in the club still go on? Does Trump clear the restaurant when he goes to eat? Will people be running into Abe and Trump in the little boys room during cocktail hour? I'd like to know more about all of that.

But if anyone knows why it is supposedly unethical to invite a PM to the Winter White House, your own home, for a weekend, and why you would expect anyone to pay for staying at a club you own, please explain.

Japanese frequently make business deals over golf rather than in an office.

 

[EverCurious]

So do the 1%. We don't need a stuffy formal environment to prove something. Deals always go better when one is having a good time. I made one of my best deals ever in a sauna