The Department of Defense is working to rent space in Trump Tower in order to provide security to President Donald Trump and his family while they are in the building, CNN reported Tuesday evening.
“In order to meet official mission requirements, the Department of Defense is working through appropriate channels and in accordance with all applicable legal requirements in order to acquire a limited amount of leased space in Trump Tower,” a spokesman for the Defense Department, Lt. Col. JB Brindle, said in a statement to CNN. “The space is necessary for the personnel and equipment who will support the POTUS at his residence in the building.”
The military has made security arrangements for past presidents before, including being present in former President Barack Obama’s Chicago home.
But the Defense Department renting in Trump Tower adds to concerns about Trump’s conflicts of interest while in office.
Jason Horowitz, an employee at the company that manages space in Trump Tower, told CNN that the spaces available in the building, which are on average 13,500 to 15,500 square feet, lease for about $1.5 million per year.