The staggering cost of Donald Trump’s vacations to U.S. taxpayers has come to light, just as he launched a fiery tirade against what he called excessive non-working holidays.
It’s well known that Trump relishes time off at luxurious spots, especially on the golf course. He frequently retreats to Mar-a-Lago, his exclusive Florida resort, spending considerable time away from the White House during his second term.
By March, Trump had already visited Mar-a-Lago six times since returning to office in January—a costly pattern. These trips, far from being simple getaways, have been criticized for their heavy financial burden on public resources.
From the use of Air Force One and accompanying aircraft to the extensive motorcades and heightened security measures, each trip racks up millions in expenses.
The financial strain includes significant overtime payments and logistical costs for local law enforcement.
Palm Beach authorities, in particular, have had to deploy helicopters and boost manpower to ensure the safety of the president, his family, and his entourage during these leisurely weekends.
Recently, data revealed just how expensive these presidential excursions have become—news that emerged ironically right after Trump condemned what he viewed as an overabundance of employee vacation days.
According to Marca, Trump’s recreational trips had already cost taxpayers around $26 million by late March, with that number climbing to almost $30 million by early April.
Just operating Air Force One costs an estimated $200,000 per hour, based on a 2022 Air Force report. The two-hour journey from Washington, D.C., to Palm Beach alone runs close to $1 million per trip.
Despite these costs, Trump criticized businesses for taking too many holidays, suggesting that America is bleeding money by allowing so many closures. In a social media post, he declared:
“Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed.
The workers don’t want it either! Soon we’ll end up having a holiday for every working day of the year. It must change if we are going to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Critics were quick to point out the irony in Trump’s statements, given his own track record of lavish and costly downtime.
During a House subcommittee hearing in April, Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett called attention to the hypocrisy, saying:
“If we’re going to talk about efficiency… let’s talk about the fact that, as of March 30, Trump’s golfing has cost us approximately $26 million. The last time I checked, we’re not getting anything in return for that.”
Crockett also cited that a single luxurious golfing weekend can cost $3.4 million, while one trip surged to $4.2 million due to extra helicopter transport from Miami International Airport.
In his first term, Trump’s visits to Mar-a-Lago were already draining federal and local funds. The Government Accountability Office estimated an average cost of $13.6 million per weekend for these trips. This doesn’t even include an additional $240,000 in overtime wages paid to officers in Palm Beach County.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of Palm Beach County addressed the growing concern during a meeting with county commissioners in February. He emphasized how demanding and costly the security operations are.
“They request it, and then we provide it. It’s expensive, but we don’t really have a choice,” Bradshaw explained.
Last November, the county approved an “urgent request” for $45 million in extra security funding for Trump. Sheriff Bradshaw warned that this cost is unlikely to stabilize anytime soon.
“We’ve already heard some information where he may be spending more time here than in Washington,” he told commissioners.
“You’re definitely going to see him bringing in leaders from around the world. That is a significant shift in the cost for security.”
With each of Trump’s excursions, the financial implications continue to mount, raising questions about the contradiction between his calls for national efficiency and his own spending habits during leisure time.
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