President Trump's recurring trips to Mar-A-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, FL, are costing taxpayers a lot of money. According to a CNN report, the total is a little over $20 million (£18 million) so far. And if he keeps travelling there with the same frequency as he has in his first 12 weeks in office, he could surpass in just one year the total amount President Obama spent in his eight years as Commander-in-Chief.
So far, POTUS has spent about 25% of his presidency, or 21 days out his 82 days in office, at Mar-A-Lago. During that time, the estimated cost of his travels between Florida and Washington, D.C., has been about $21.6 million (£17.3 million).
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On the other hand, President Obama's total travel spending during his eight years in office was a little under $97 million (£77.5 million), according to documents reviewed by the conservative government watchdog Judicial Watch. This figure included what Obama spent during his personal trips, such as his annual family vacation in Martha's Vineyard, MA, and also his work trips throughout his entire administration.
During the Obamas' time in office, President Trump was highly critical of his predecessor's golf trips and vacations.
We pay for Obama's travel so he can fundraise millions so Democrats can run on lies. Then we pay for his golf.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2014
Can you believe that,with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf.Worse than Carter
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2014
Why did @BarackObama and his family travel separately to Martha's Vineyard? They love to extravagantly spend on the taxpayers' dime.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2011
President @BarackObama's vacation is costing taxpayers millions of dollars----Unbelievable!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2012
He also told The Hill in 2015 that as president he would "rarely" leave Washington.
"I would rarely leave the White House because there’s so much work to be done," Trump said at the moment. "I would not be a president who took vacations. I would not be a president that takes time off."
According to CNN, businesses in Palm Beach County have been informed that Trump is expected to visit Mar-A-Lago until May, because afterwards the weather in the area gets too hot.
Still, that doesn't mean he'll spend his summer weekends in D.C. CNN reports the president is expected to travel frequently to his apartment at Trump Tower in New York City, which he hasn't visited since assuming office, as well as his private Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster Township, NJ.
At this rate, POTUS is expected to surpass Obama's total eight-year travel spending within one year.