WaPo: Trump Billed Secret Service $40K For Room At Mar-a-Lago

An entranceway to President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort is seen on April 03, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

While in office, former President Donald Trump famously drew ire for staying at his own hotels and clubs which, in turn, required the Secret Service protecting him to spend huge sums to rent out his rooms, at taxpayers’ expense.

While he was president, Trump’s properties reportedly charged the U.S. government more than $2.5 million, often for rooms to allow his own security detail to remain close by.

Apparently he hasn’t quit the lucrative practice, according to documents forked over by the Secret Service under a public records request made by the Washington Post.

According to the Post, the former president charged the Secret Service more than $40,000 this spring for rooms that Trump’s own security detail used while ensuring he was kept safe at his Mar-a-Lago Club.

The Washington Post said it had reviewed federal spending records that detail charges billed by Trump’s glitzy club to the Secret Service that include $396.15 a night for a single room beginning the day he left office on Jan. 20.

The charges reportedly continued until at least April 30, for a total of $40,011.15.

A person familiar with the payments told the paper that the charges were for a single room used as a workspace by Secret Service agents. It was unclear whether he continued to charge the Secret Service into May.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Here’s hoping taxpayers have to pay for a room for him at some point. A very small room with bars.

  2. And as Trump brand business practices dictates, the government should refuse to pay, claim unsatisfactory performance of expected services and let him take us to court.

  3. Avatar for jtx jtx says:

    There is no way they are going to put a former POTUS in a common correctional facility. Probably be an in-house arrest at Mar a logo so he can continue to charge us for his own room.

  4. This is such old news that I’m wondering if TPM comments have morphed into the Wonkette Phantom time warp thread.

  5. Wonder how the Secret Service folks staying at Mar-e-Coli feel about this? Privileged or disgusted?

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

136 more replies

Participants

Avatar for trnc Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for skippyflipjack Avatar for lastroth Avatar for gr Avatar for darcy Avatar for mrf Avatar for thunderclapnewman Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for greysea Avatar for rhs1963 Avatar for fatehiasaleh Avatar for seamus42 Avatar for godwit Avatar for bcgister Avatar for kenga Avatar for zenicetus Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for rockitttla Avatar for rogerhead Avatar for dogselfie Avatar for old_guru Avatar for ClutchCargo Avatar for SheSellsSeashells

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: