Summary
Donald Trump has turned the presidency into a cash cow to support his business interests around the country and the world. His refusal to fully separate himself from his business has meant that foreign governments and political interests have spent untold amounts corruptly buying their way into Trump’s good graces. At the same time, Trump and his children have turned the presidency into an infomercial in an attempt to benefit their bottom line.
- As President, Donald Trump remained able to withdraw funds from his businesses through a trust controlled by his adult sons and lawyer
- Trump used the office of President to promote his business - earning free media coverage and inflating sales.
- Trump directed almost $2 million in U.S. taxpayer money directly to Trump Properties for security during Trump, family, administration, and military visits to Trump properties. Trump’s administration is trying to hide records for the full cost of the trips.
- Overall, Trump’s golf Trips have cost U.S. taxpayers over $140 million.
- U.S. taxpayers have spent over $350,000 on business trips for Eric and Donald Trump Jr.
- Trump personally profited from payments by Irish police during official visits by both the President and Vice President to Trump Doonbeg.
- Unknown sums have been spent at Trump Properties by foreign and domestic groups trying to buy favors from the administration.
- Since 2016, Trump has personally profited off political campaign spending at Trump properties in excess of $22 million.
- Trump Inaugural committee spent $1 million at Trump Hotel D.C. in an alleged abuse of non-profit funds for personal benefit
- At least 20 policy decisions or proposals made by Trump Administration appeared to benefit Trump’s business interests
¶ President Trump Refused To Fully separate From His Business; Can Draw Funds At Any Time
¶ Trump Could Withdraw Money From His Businesses Through Trust At Any Time
Donald Trump Can Withdraw Money From Any Of His 400 Business Through His Trust Without Disclosing It. According to ProPublica, “Trump can draw money from his more than 400 businesses, at any time, without disclosing it. The previously unreported changes to a trust document, signed on Feb. 10, stipulates that it ‘shall distribute net income or principal to Donald J. Trump at his request’ or whenever his son and longtime attorney ‘deem appropriate.’ That can include everything from profits to the underlying assets, such as the businesses themselves.” [ProPublica, 4/3/17]
¶ Trump’s Sons and Longtime Lawyer Control The Trust
Donald Trump Jr. And Trump Organization Executive Allen Weisselberg Were Appointed Trustees Of The Donald J Trump Revocable Trust. According to CNN Money, “Three weeks into his administration, neither the president nor his company has released paperwork to show the public how such a trust will work. But a newly surfaced document provides a peek into how Trump’s assets are being managed. The document, made public by ProPublica last week, was filed in January with an alcohol board in Washington, D.C. It notifies the agency that Trump’s stake in the historic post office that he rebuilt as a luxury hotel has been transferred to the trust. Attached to the notice is a summary that reveals the existence of a revocable trust -- one created ‘to hold assets for the exclusive benefit’ of Trump. His son Donald Trump Jr. and Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg were appointed trustees the day before the inauguration, but Trump can remove them at any time. Trump’s other adult son, Eric, is not listed on the trust document. He appears on other business registration paperwork and retains a key executive role with the Trump Organization.” [CNN Money, 2/8/17]
¶ Eric Trump Gave His Father Quarterly Reports On The Business
Eric Trump Said He Would Give His Father Quarterly Reports On The Business. According to Forbes, “But less than two minutes later, he concedes that he will continue to update his father on the business while he is in the presidency. ‘Yeah, on the bottom line, profitability reports and stuff like that, but you know, that’s about it.’ How often will those reports be, every quarter? ‘Depending, yeah, depending.’ Could be more, could be less? ‘Yeah, probably quarterly.’ One thing is clear: ‘My father and I are very close,’ Eric Trump says. ‘I talk to him a lot. We’re pretty inseparable.’” [Forbes, 3/24/17]
¶ Trump Used Office Of The President To Promote His Business Earning Free Media Coverage And Inflating Sales
¶ Trump Promoted His BUsiness Once Every Five Days
Trump Promoted His Businesses Once Every Five Days Since Becoming President. According to Newsweek, “President Donald Trump has promoted his businesses, on average, once every five days since entering the White House nearly three years ago, data compiled by a Washington ethics watchdog shows. According to CREW, which is tracking the president’s many conflicts of interest, Trump has promoted his businesses on 217 occasions since coming to office back in January 2017. The president has, at the time of writing, held office for 1,011 days. That’s a 4.66 average.” [Newsweek, 10/29/19]
¶ Trump Used Office Of The President To Promote His Business Earning Free Media Coverage And Inflating Sales
¶ Trump Promoted His BUsiness Once EveryFive Days
Trump Promoted His Businesses Once Every Five Days Since Becoming President. According to Newsweek, “President Donald Trump has promoted his businesses, on average, once every five days since entering the White House nearly three years ago, data compiled by a Washington ethics watchdog shows. According to CREW, which is tracking the president’s many conflicts of interest, Trump has promoted his businesses on 217 occasions since coming to office back in January 2017. The president has, at the time of writing, held office for 1,011 days. That’s a 4.66 average.” [Newsweek, 10/29/19]
¶ Trump Increased Rate Of Promoting Properties As Election Approaches
Trump Has Increased The Rate He Promotes Properties As 2020 Approaches. According to Newsweek, “What’s more, the number of promotions by both Trump and his White House officials is, according to CREW, rising sharply as the 2020 election approaches. There were 59 promotions of Trump properties in 2017. In 2019 to date, there were 159 promotions, a rise of 144 percent.” [Newsweek, 10/29/19]
¶ Room Rates At Trump Properties Increased In Concert With Official And Campaign Events
¶ 2020 RNC Winter Meetings Caused Trump Doral Room Rates To Increase, Potentially Costing Taxpayers At Trump’s Benefit
Doral Doubled Room Rates Ahead Of The White House Announcing Trump’s Visit Which May Have Increased Taxpayer Cost. According to The Huffington Post, “The president’s Miami golf resort that puts money into his pocket more than doubled its room rates just before the White House announced his Thursday visit ― possibly increasing taxpayer costs for staff who must travel there in advance. Donald Trump‘s plan to address the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting at Trump National Doral next to the Miami airport has been in the works since mid-January, about the same time that the resort raised the nightly rate for its least expensive rooms from $254 to $539.” [Huffington Post, 1/23/20]
Doral Raised Hotel Room Rates To $539, Just Under The Maximum Per-Night Rate Federal Rules Permit. According to The Huffington Post, “Donald Trump‘s plan to address the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting at Trump National Doral next to the Miami airport has been in the works since mid-January, about the same time that the resort raised the nightly rate for its least expensive rooms from $254 to $539. That higher figure is just under the maximum per-night rate federal government rules permit for a hotel in South Florida, and is triple the normal ‘per diem’ rate employees are supposed to follow.” [Huffington Post, 1/23/20]
Robert Weissman, Public Citizen, Called This Incident Another Example Of Trump’s Use Of The Office Of The President To Enrich Himself With Free Publicity And Taxpayer Funds. According to The Huffington Post, “Robert Weissman, president of the liberal watchdog group Public Citizen, said the episode illustrates Trump’s continued use of his office to enrich himself. ‘What better way to defend yourself in an impeachment trial over abuse of power than to jet to your private golf resort on the public dime, secure lots of publicity for the club on the public dime, and then, possibly, rip off taxpayers by forcing them to pay extra for the staff whose costs at the resort are billed to ‘we the people,’’ Weissman said.” [Huffington Post, 1/23/20]
¶ GOP Fundraiser At Trump Hotel D.C. Led To Massive Surge In Room Rates
Leading Up To GOP Fundraiser Room Rates For Trump Hotel D.C. “Surged As High As $6,719.” According to AP, “In the weeks leading up to the invitation-only event, advertised rates for a standard room at the Trump International Hotel surged to as high as $6,719 — more than a dozen times the posted price for rooms on other weekends.” [AP, 12/18/19]
Trump Hotel DC Appeared To Have All 263 Rooms Booked “At The Sky-High Prices.” According to AP, “Even at the sky-high prices, the website for Trump’s hotel indicated last week that all 263 guest rooms and suites were booked.” [AP, 12/18/19]
CREW: Room Rates At Trump Hotel D.C. Were 13x Higher Over The Weekend While The RNC Hosted A Trump Victory Fundraiser. According to CREW, “In November, we noticed a mysterious spike in the price of available rooms at Trump’s DC hotel for a Saturday night in December. The minimum cost was 13 times the average, but we couldn’t identify a reason for the spike, until photos surfaced of the Trump Victory Committee’s winter retreat at Trump’s Hotel on that exact night, which appears to have sold out much of the venue. While the least expensive room for a one-night stay at the hotel was around $500 on surrounding days, the cheapest room on December 14 was a whopping $6,719. With access to Trump, Pence, and other top officials, and a bonus invitation to the White House holiday party for donors, we no longer have to wonder why. On November 7th, CREW flagged a massive spike in the cost of a room on December 14, suggesting that every less expensive room in the hotel was sold out, leaving only pricey suites. Presumably, rooms were taken up by donors to Trump Victory Committee, a joint fundraising committee of the Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign. The exorbitant cost is even more evidence that hosting fundraisers at the Trump International Hotel is one of the best ways to sell out the notoriously empty venue, sending donor money right into Trump’s pocket.” [CREW, 12/18/19]
¶ Trump Hotel D.C. Expected To Make More Money Than Usual On Election Night
CREW: “Trump Will Be Making More Money Than Usual From His DC Hotel On The Nights Around The 2020 Presidential Election.” According to CREW, “The high rate on November 4th suggests that the hotel’s unavailability on the two days before has to do with high demand: Perhaps the hotel sold out because Trumpworld insiders already booked their rooms, or a political group booked up blocks of rooms for a party. No matter what, President Trump will be making even more money than usual from his DC hotel on the nights around the 2020 presidential election.” [CREW, 1/10/20]
Trump Hotel D.C. Rooms Are Unavailable 11/2 And 11/3 2020. According to CREW, “Is President Trump already planning a re-election party at his DC hotel on election night? Maybe so, as rooms at Trump International Hotel are entirely unavailable on November 2nd and 3rd. Those dates just happen to be the day before and the night of the 2020 presidential election. And not only that: The night after the election a basic room costs $1,600, a major spike of nearly 5 times the average cost, which is around $331.” [CREW, 1/10/20]
Room Rates On 11/4 Are High Suggesting High Demand Over The Entire Week. According to CREW, “The high rate on November 4th suggests that the hotel’s unavailability on the two days before has to do with high demand: Perhaps the hotel sold out because Trumpworld insiders already booked their rooms, or a political group booked up blocks of rooms for a party. No matter what, President Trump will be making even more money than usual from his DC hotel on the nights around the 2020 presidential election.” [CREW, 1/10/20]
¶ Trump Uses Office And Position In Republican Party To Generate “Billions” In Earned Media For Himself
In Press Conference Trump Noted The Benefit Of Earned Media Saying “Its Worth Billions.” According to remarks during press conference, “Q Mr. President, first off, I personally think it’s very good to have you here because a free press and this type of engagement — THE PRESIDENT: I do, too. Actually? I do, too. Q Yes. It’s vital to democracy. THE PRESIDENT: It’s called “earned media.” It’s worth billions. Go ahead.” [White House Transcript, 11/7/18]
Candidate Trump Received Approximately $5 Billion In Earned Media In 2016. According to The Street, “The real estate magnate got $4.96 billion in free earned media in the year leading up to the presidential election, according to data from tracking firm mediaQuant. He received $5.6 billion throughout the entirety of his campaign, more than Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz, Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio combined.” [Street, 11/17/16]
¶ Press Coverage During G7 Controversy Earned Trump Doral Over $1 Million In Earned Media
Ad Buyer: The Press Coverage Trump Doral Got During G7 Controversy Would Have Cost Trump $1.2 Million. According to Los Angeles Magazine, “The ad buyer tells us that if, under current pricing, Trump purchased 96 30-second spots (one every hour for four days) across the three news networks he would have had to shell out roughly $1.2 million, which would be a waking nightmare for a self-proclaimed billionaire who famously hates to pay for anything. And that’s not counting the millions of mentions the Doral has received in print and online media since the story broke.” [Los Angeles Magazine, 10/22/19]
¶ Trump Tweets About His Properties From Official Account
Donald Trump Retweeted Trump Organization Tweet Promoting Mar-A-Lago, Called It “The Southern White House!” [Twitter.com, @realDonaldTrump, 12/12/19]
¶ President Trump And The RNC Helped Sell Donald Trump Jr.’s Book “Triggered” Making It A NYT Bestseller
Donald Trump Tweeted About “Triggered” Four Times In November 2019. [Twitter.com, accessed 1/30/20]
The RNC Spent Nearly $100,000 On Bulk Orders Of “Triggered.” According to The Washington Post, “Sales also reportedly got a boost from the Republican National Committee, which confirmed to the New York Times that it spent $94,800 last month on copies for a donor promotion. The purchase, disclosed in a recent Federal Election Commission filing, could explain the caveat that accompanied the bestseller listing for ‘Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us’ — and prompted speculation about what propelled Trump Jr.’s book to the coveted spot. A small dagger next to the book’s blurb in the ranking indicates ‘institutional, special interest, group or bulk purchases,’ which the Times says are factored into rankings at editors’ discretion.” [Washington Post, 11/22/19]
¶ Kellyanne Conway Promoted Ivanka Trump’s Products In Possible Ethics Violation
Kellyanne Conway From White House Briefing Room: “Go Buy Ivanka’s Stuff Is What I Would Say.” According to The New York Times, “‘Go buy Ivanka’s stuff is what I would say,’ Ms. Conway said in a Thursday morning interview with Fox News, speaking from the White House briefing room. ‘I’m going to give a free commercial here: Go buy it today, everybody; you can find it online.’” [New York Times, 2/9/17]
Conway’s Comments May Have Violated Conflict-Of-Interest Rules Using The Executive Branch To Endorse Products On Behalf Of Friends Or Relatives. According to The New York Times, “Federal ethics rules state that an employee of the government’s executive branch cannot use public office for personal gain or to endorse products or services on behalf of friends or relatives. Legal experts said Ms. Conway, whose title is counselor to the president, appeared to have violated that and possibly other conflict-of-interest rules, which do not apply to the president and vice president, but do apply to their staffs.” [New York Times, 2/9/17]
¶ American Taxpayers Have Spent Almost $1 Million Directly To Trump’s Properties
¶ Secret Service Has Spent $970,000 At Trump Properties Since Trump Was Elected President (That We Know Of)
Washington Post Identified At Least $970,000 In Payments From The U.S. Government To Trump Properties Since Trump Took Office. According to The Washington Post, " The U.S. government has paid at least $970,000 to President Trump’s company since Trump took office — including payments for more than 1,600 nightly room rentals at Trump’s hotels and clubs, according to federal records obtained by The Washington Post. Since March, The Post has catalogued an additional $340,000 in such payments. They were almost all related to trips taken by Trump, his family and his top officials. The government is not known to have paid for the rooms for Trump and his family members at his properties but it has paid for staffers and Secret Service agents to accompany the president." [Washington Post, 5/14/20]
- Mar-A-Lago Charged Secret Service $400-650 A Night For Dozens Of Stays In 2017 And 2018. According to The Washington Post, “At Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club, the Secret Service was charged the $650 rate dozens of times in 2017, and a different rate, $396.15, dozens more times in 2018, according to documents from Trump’s visits.” [Washington Post, 2/7/20]
- Trump Bedminster Charged Secret Service $17,000 A Month For Cottage, Well Above Area Rents. According to The Washington Post, “And at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, the Secret Service was charged $17,000 a month to use a three-bedroom cottage on the property, an unusually high rent for homes in that area, according to receipts from 2017. Trump’s company billed the government even for days when Trump wasn’t there.” [Washington Post, 2/7/20]
- Trump Hotel Las Vegas Charged Secret Service $29 Per Room Resort Fees Adding $4,379 To A $20,183 Bill To Protect Mike Pence At Republican Jewish Coalition Meeting In 2017. According to The Washington Post, “In early 2017, for instance, Pence visited Las Vegas to speak to a Republican Jewish Coalition gathering. He stayed one night at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, newly released receipts show. The Secret Service was charged for 151 rooms, at about $102 per room per night — the maximum rate for Las Vegas at the time under normal federal per-diem rules. Secret Service agents are allowed to exceed the limit while on protective duty. In Las Vegas, the Trump hotel also tacked on $29 per room in “resort fees,” receipts show. That added $4,379 to the bill, for a total of $20,183. The hotel’s website said the fee covered services such as coffee, shoe shines and shuttle service to the shopping mall at the Caesars Palace casino. The Trump Organization did not say why it had charged resort fees to working Secret Service agents.” [Washington Post, 8/27/20]
- Trump Turnberry Charged Secret Service $1,300 Plus Tax For “Furniture Removal Charge” In 2018. According to The Washington Post, “Another extra charge: When President Trump spent two nights at his Turnberry resort in Scotland in 2018, the Secret Service needed furniture removed from rooms. Records show that Trump’s club levied a “furniture removal charge” of $1,300 plus tax.” [Washington Post, 8/27/20]
Secret Service Paid Trump Properties Over $250K In Trump’s First 5 Months As President. According to Politico, “The Secret Service spent more than a quarter of a million dollars at President Donald Trump’s properties over the course of five months in 2017, newly released documents show. The documents outline Secret Service credit card expenditures for Trump properties and businesses between Jan. 27 and June 9, 2017, and were obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request via the nonprofit watchdog group Property of the People.” [Politico, 11/21/19]
Trump D.C. Employee Said “The Secret Service Is Always There” And “Its Like Being In The White House.” According to The Washington Post, ““The Secret Service is always there,” said one former employee at the Trump hotel in Washington. With all the visits by the president, his children and top officials, the former employee said, “it’s like being in the White House — that’s how I felt working there.” The former employee spoke on the condition of anonymity to preserve relationships at the hotel.” [Washington Post, 8/27/20]
¶ Secret Service Paid For Rooms At Trump Hotels With Credit Cards Rather Than Make Formal Contracts
Secret Service Did Not Make Formal Contracts With Trump Properties But Made Payments Through Federal Credit Cards. According to The Washington Post, “The Secret Service’s payments to Trump’s companies have been made through federal credit cards, not formal contracts. They are not listed in public databases. The Post and watchdog groups including Public Citizen have assembled some details of the Secret Service’s spending at Trump properties through public-records requests, one receipt at a time.” [Washington Post, 3/5/20]
¶ Secret Service Has Only Released Records of 21 Trips To Trump Properties – There Are At Least 100 More Known Visits To Trump Properties
Secret Service Has Not Released Records Beyond The First Five Months Of Trump’s Term Including At Least 100 More Visits To Trump Properties Since Then. According to The Washington Post, “The Secret Service records released Thursday cover only the first five months of Trump’s term, during which he made 21 visits to Trump properties, by The Washington Post’s count. Since then, Trump has made more than 100 additional visits to his properties. The Secret Service has not released records about those visits.” [Washington Post, 11/21/19]
¶ Trump Administration Was Trying To Hide True Costs Of Trips
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Refused To Turn Over Costs Incurred By Secret Service For Protection At Trump Properties Until After 2020 Election.According to the Washington Post, “The Trump administration is seeking to delay a Democratic effort to require the Secret Service to disclose how much it spends protecting President Trump and his family when they travel — until after the 2020 election, according to people familiar with the discussions. The issue has emerged as a sticking point in recent weeks as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and key senators have been negotiating draft legislation to move the Secret Service back to his department, its historic home. Mnuchin has balked at Democratic demands that the bill require the Secret Service to disclose the costs related to the travel of the president and his adult children within 120 days after it is passed, according to people with knowledge of the talks. Mnuchin has agreed to Democrats’ push for a requirement that the Secret Service report its travel expenses but wants such disclosures to begin after the election.” [Washington Post, 1/8/20]
- Secret Service Spent $33,154 (137 Nights At Rate Of $242/Night) At Trump Hotel D.C. To Guard Secretary Mnuchin While He Lived At Trump Hotel For Several Months Between January 2017 And June 2017. According to The Washington Post, " The Secret Service rented a room at President Trump’s Washington hotel for 137 consecutive nights in 2017 — paying Trump’s company more than $33,000 — so it could guard Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin while he lived in one of the hotel’s luxury suites, according to federal documents and people familiar with the arrangement. […] For that room, the Trump hotel charged the maximum rate that federal agencies were generally allowed to pay in 2017: $242 per night, according to the billing records. The Secret Service checked in Jan. 25, according to billing records obtained by The Washington Post, and didn’t make its last payment until June 12. The total bill was $33,154." [Washington Post, 4/30/20]
- Mnuchin Was Not Aware The Secret Service Paid For The Adjoining Room While He Lived At Trump Hotel. According to The Washington Post, " In a written statement, a Treasury Department spokesperson confirmed that the Secret Service had rented the room next to Mnuchin’s. The Post asked if Mnuchin had considered that cost to taxpayers, in deciding how long he would stay. ‘The Secretary was not aware of what the U.S. Secret Service paid for the adjoining room,’ the spokesperson said." [Washington Post, 4/30/20]
Secret Service Has Only Filed 2 Of Required 6 Spending Reports Related To Protecting Trump Since 2016. According to The Washington Post, “The Secret Service is required to tell Congress twice a year about what it spends to protect Trump at his properties. But since 2016, it has only filed two of the required six reports, according to congressional offices. The reasons, according to Secret Service officials: key personnel left and nobody picked up the job.” [Washington Post, 2/7/20]
¶ February: House Committee Requested Secret Service Records
House Oversight Committee Requested Documents On Secret Service Spending At Trump Properties. According to The Washington Post, “The House Oversight Committee on Wednesday asked the Secret Service to provide a full accounting of its payments to President Trump’s private company after The Washington Post revealed that the Secret Service had been charged as much as $650 per night for rooms at Trump clubs. In a letter to the Secret Service, signed by Chair Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) and member Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), the committee asked for records of payments to Trump properties, and copies of contracts between the Secret Service and Trump clubs.” [Washington Post, 2/12/20]
¶ Records Indicated Secret Service Paid For Rooms At Trump Properties Even When Trump Was Not There
Secret Service Began Spending More Nights At Mar-A-Lago, Even When Trump Was Not There. According to The Washington Post, “In 2018, the room rate charged to the Secret Service was lower: $396.15 per night, according to public records obtained by the watchdog group Judicial Watch. One possible reason for the drop in price: The 2018 receipts list the Secret Service as an ‘honorary member’ of the club, which could have made it eligible for a member discount. But in 2018, receipts show, the Secret Service tended to book more rooms and stay longer than they had in 2017 — in one case, when Trump came for two weekends in a row, the Secret Service rented four rooms for nine nights apiece. They stayed all week, even while Trump was gone.” [Washington Post, 2/7/20]
2017: Secret Service Rented Bedminster Cottage For 3 Months At $17,000 A Month While Trump Was Only There For A Third Of That Time. According to The Washington Post, “In Bedminster, records show, the Secret Service went further: It paid not by the day — but for a whole month at a time. The Secret Service rented the club’s ‘Sarazen Cottage,’ a three-bedroom building near Trump’s own villa, from July 1 to Oct. 1, 2017. The former senior administration official said the cottage was needed to store equipment and provided living space for five or six agents. So — even though Trump was only there about a third of the time — the equipment was there every day. So they paid every day. ‘You can’t rent the villa part of the year to someone else because it has to stay a Secret Service space,’ said the official.” [Washington Post, 2/7/20]
¶ Air Force Crews Stayed At President Trump’s Turnberry Resort Spending Almost $200,000 Over 40 Stays During “Not Advisable” Refueling Stops
U.S. Air Force Revealed 6% (Or 40 Stays) Of Aircrew Overnight Stays In The Vicinity Of Prestwick Airport Were At Trump Turnberry Between 2015 And 2019. According to The Washington Post, ‘The U.S. Air Force said Thursday it reviewed overnight stays by crew members who stopped at Glasgow Prestwick Airport between 2015 and 2019 to refuel and found about 6 percent stayed at President Trump’s Scottish golf resort. The House Oversight Committee has been investigating an uptick in stays by the military at the five-star coastal Trump Turnberry hotel, which is about 30 miles from the airport, to determine whether the president has improperly directed crews to stay at his family-owned property. ‘We reviewed the vast majority [of] the 659 overnight stays of Air Force crews in the vicinity at Glasgow Prestwick Airport between 2015 and 2019. Approximately six percent of those crews stayed at the Trump Turnberry,’ said an Air Force spokesman in an emailed statement. ‘As a practice, we generally send aircrews to the closest, most suitable accommodations within the government hotel rate. The review also indicated that about 75 percent of the crews stayed in the immediate vicinity of the airfield and 18 percent stayed in Glasgow.’’ [Washington Post, 9/12/19]
The U.S Military Spent Almost $200,000 Of Taxpayers Money On Lodging At Trump’s Turnberry Resort. According to Politico, “Since Donald Trump took office, the U.S. military has spent nearly $200,000 at the president’s luxury Scotland resort, according to figures and documents the Pentagon provided to the House Oversight Committee. The spending, which has all occurred since August 2017, paid for the equivalent of hundreds of nights of rooms at the Turnberry resort over approximately three dozen separate stays, the committee said.” [Politico, 9/18/19]
¶ USAF Acknowledged Air Crew Stays At Trump Properties Were “Not Advisable” And Gave Perception They Were “Not Being Good Stewards Of Taxpayer Funds”
USAF Statement: ‘U.S. Service Members Lodging At Higher-End Accommodations, Even If Within Government Rates, Might Be Allowable But Not Advisable.’ According to Air Force Statement, ‘Air Force leadership directed Air Mobility Command to review all guidance pertaining to selection of airports and lodging accommodations during international travels… While initial reviews indicate that aircrew transiting through Scotland adhered to all guidance and procedures, we understand that U.S. Service members lodging at higher-end accommodations, even if within government rates, might be allowable but not advisable. Therefore, we are reviewing all associated guidance. Even when USAF aircrews follow all directives and guidance, we must still be considerate of perceptions of not being good stewards of taxpayer funds that might be created through the appearance of aircrew staying at such locations. (review will include active duty, Guard Reserve).’ [Air Force Statement, 9/8/19]
USAF Statement: ‘Even When USAF Aircrews Follow All Directives And Guidance, We Must Still Be Considerate Of Perceptions Of Not Being Good Stewards Of Taxpayer Funds That Might Be Created Through The Appearance Of Aircrew Staying At Such Locations.’ According to Air Force Statement, ‘Air Force leadership directed Air Mobility Command to review all guidance pertaining to selection of airports and lodging accommodations during international travels… While initial reviews indicate that aircrew transiting through Scotland adhered to all guidance and procedures, we understand that U.S. Service members lodging at higher-end accommodations, even if within government rates, might be allowable but not advisable. Therefore, we are reviewing all associated guidance. Even when USAF aircrews follow all directives and guidance, we must still be considerate of perceptions of not being good stewards of taxpayer funds that might be created through the appearance of aircrew staying at such locations. (review will include active duty, Guard Reserve).’ [Air Force Statement, 9/8/19]
¶ The Department Of Defense Spent Nearly $300,000 At Trump Properties Since 2017
Department Of Defense Personnel Have Charged More Than $300,000 At Trump-Branded Resorts, Golf Clubs, And Restaurants. According to CNN, “Defense Department personnel have charged more than $300,000 at Trump-branded properties since the start of Donald Trump's presidency through last November, according to internal agency documents obtained by CNN. The transactions range from lodging expenses at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to restaurant tabs at the Trump International Hotel in Washington to parking fees at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami […] Defense Department personnel have charged more than $300,000 at Trump-branded properties since the start of Donald Trump's presidency through last November, according to internal agency documents obtained by CNN. The transactions range from lodging expenses at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to restaurant tabs at the Trump International Hotel in Washington to parking fees at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami.” [CNN, 4/10/19]
Some Of The Charges Incurred By The DOD Overlap With Trump’s Travel. According to CNN, “Some of the transactions appear to overlap with Trump's travel. For example, between May and November of 2018, Defense Department officials charged nearly $79,000 to travel cards for accommodation costs at Trump's Bedminster club. Trump spent more than 20 days at the Bedminster club during that time, in which he hosted fundraisers and dined with supporters. He has insisted that such stays do not amount to vacations, though he has been photographed golfing.” [CNN, 4/10/19]
¶ State Department Paid Out £69,000 And $46,000 For Hotel Rooms Securing Trump And Family Visits To Trump’s European Golf Resorts
¶ July 2018: State Department Paid SLC Turnberry Limited £50,000 For Trump’s Stay During An Official Visit To The UK
State Department Paid £52,477 To SLC Turnberry LLC. According to The Scotsman, ‘Donald Trump’s Turnberry firm was paid more than £50,000 by his own government to cover the accommodation bill for his weekend stay at his loss-making resort, The Scotsman can reveal. US federal government spending records seen by this newspaper show a series of payments worth a total of £52,477 were made by the State Department to SLC Turnberry Limited, the company behind the South Ayrshire hotel and golf course.’ [The Scotsman, 7/18/18]
Money Was For Trump’s Two-Night Stay At Trump Turnberry In July 2018. According to The Scotsman, ‘The US taxpayers’ money went towards hotel rooms used by Mr Trump and his staff during his two-night stay at Turnberry, which the president said would be dominated by meetings and calls. He ended up playing two rounds of golf at the historic course. Along with his son, Eric, Mr Trump was joined at Turnberry by several high-ranking officials, including John Kelly, his White House chief of staff, Sarah Sanders, his press secretary, and Dan Scavino, his director of social media. Documentation of the transactions show that the payments were made in two tranches.’ [The Scotsman, 7/18/18]
¶ State Department Paid Trump Turnberry £5,600 For An Early 2018 Visit By ‘VIP’ Members Of The Administration
April 2018: The State Department Paid £5,600 To Trump Turnberry To Accommodate A Visit By Unidentified ‘VIP’ Members Of The Administration. According to The Scotsman, ‘Donald Trump’s flagship Scottish resort received thousands of pounds in US taxpayers’ money to host VIP visits by officials from his administration, an investigation by The Scotsman can reveal. The US president’s resort at Turnberry received more than £5,600 in federal funds to provide accommoda-tion for the trip earlier this year. […] The payments to Turnberry, which was last month named Hotel of the Year at the Scottish Hotel Awards, were authorised by the State Department’s bureau of European and Eurasian affairs, which is responsible for developing and implementing US foreign policy. The money was subsequently awarded to Mr Trump’s firm via the American Embassy in London. Purchase orders obtained by The Scotsman detail the payment as being for ‘hotel rooms for VIP visit.’ They show that an initial payment of $10,113 (£7,447) was transferred to SLC Turnberry Limited on 5 April. Some $2,444 (£1,799) was returned to the State Department a few weeks later on 26 April.’ [The Scotsman, 5/12/18]
¶ 2019: State Department Paid £11,000 For Eric Trump’s Summer Visit To Turnberry Resort
July 2019: US State Department Paid £11,000 For Rooms At Turnberry Resort. According to The Scotsman, ‘Donald Trump’s flagship Scottish hotel and golf course has received another five-figure windfall from his own government to cover accommodation costs at the loss making resort, The Scotsman can reveal. The US State Department authorised the payment, worth more than £11,000, for rooms at Trump Turnberry over the next three weeks.’ [Scotsman, 7/9/19]
¶ April 2017: Eric Trump Visited Doonbeg For Business Meetings Where U.S. Government Paid Trump Doonbeg $39,000
¶ Secret Service Spent $11,000 At Trump Properties, Nearly $15,000 Total To Protect Eric Trump On His Business Trip
Secret Service Spent $11,261 For Hotel Costs, $4,030 For Limos Protecting Eric Trump In Ireland And UK Visits To Golf Courses. According to Mail Online, “The U.S. government is paying more than $4,000 for limos used for Eric Trump’s travel to Ireland and Great Britain this week on a trip where the president’s son advocated for a Trump golf property. The president’s son, who gets Secret Service protection when he visits Trump properties that are located around the globe, has taken five international trips this year. The Secret Service, which must position agents in advance and otherwise prepare for the trip, spent $11,261 for hotel costs, purchasing orders obtained by CBS News reveal. Costs for limousines for his visit totaled $4,030, the records showed.” [Mail Online, 4/14/17]
¶ State Department Paid Out $28,000 To Trump Doonbeg During April 2017 Visit
State Department Paid $28,000 To Trump Doonbeg Coinciding With Eric Trump Visit In April 2017. According to Irish Examiner, “Documents seen by this newspaper show that the US State Department approved invoices totalling almost $28,000 ( 24,000) for Secret Service visits to the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg in early 2017. The Secret Service activity coincided with a visit to Clare by Mr Trump s son Eric in April 2017.” [Irish Examiner, 7/7/18]
¶ July 2017: Eric Trump Visited Doonbeg With 30 American Businesspeople, Where US State Department Paid Trump Doonbeg Over $7,000
State Department Reported A Total Of $7,171.14 Of Expenses To Trump Doonbeg In “Support Of E Trump Visit” Over 6 Transactions Dated Late July 2017.
[State Department Charge Records, accessed 11/22/19]
¶ Vice President Pence Spent Taxpayer Money For Rooms At Trump’s Doonberg Resort In Ireland, Possibly At Trump’s Suggestion
Vice President Pence Stayed At Trump International Golf Links & Hotel In Doonberg. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence drew sharp criticism this week after the vice president and his coterie of family, aides and security stayed a night at the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg during a trip to Ireland, despite the fact that it was 181 miles from his meetings in Dublin. Government receipts for such stays usually run in the tens of thousands of dollars — or far more, depending on the size of the group and the length of stay. Mr. Pence’s chief of staff initially told reporters that the vice president, who has family roots in Doonbeg, had chosen the accommodation at the “suggestion” of Mr. Trump.” [New York Times, 9/6/19]
Pence’s Lodging Were Paid For With U.S. Taxpayer Dollars. According to MailOnline, “Taxpayers are picking up the tab for the costs of Pence’s lodging and Secret Service protection, just as they would if he were not staying at any other property while he’s outside of Washington, Short told reporters Tuesday as the vice president flew to Dublin. Pence is funding his mother and sister’s travel, the senior aide said.” [MailOnline, 9/3/19]
¶ Marc Short Said Trump Suggested Pence Stay At Doonbeg But Pence And Trump Denied Claims
Marc Short Acknowledged Trump Suggested Pence Stay At Doonbeg But Did Not Demand It. According to MailOnline, “Marc Short acknowledged that Trump was involved in the conversation for the vice president to stay at Trump International Doonbeg and told Pence: ‘Well, you should stay at my place.’ But Short claimed: ‘It wasn’t like a, ‘You must.’ It wasn’t like, ‘You have to.’ It’s a facility that could accommodate the team.’” [MailOnline, 9/3/19]
Mike Pence: “At No Time Did The President Direct Our Office To Stay At His Doonbeg Resort And Any Reporting To The Contrary Is False.” According to MailOnline, “Mike Pence said late Tuesday it was his office’s decision for the vice president and his family to stay at Donald Trump’s Doonbeg resort and the president didn’t ‘direct’ them to overnight at his Irish golf club. The clarification from vice president’s office came after Pence’s chief of staff said Trump ‘suggested’ his resort, leading to questions about the appropriateness of using the president’s personal property for an official visit. ‘Because of some misreporting, we want to clarify that the decision to stay at Trump National in Doonbeg, Ireland was solely a decision by the Office of the Vice President and was based on the requirement to find accommodations near the Vice President’s ancestral hometown that could satisfy meetings on both coasts of the Emerald Isle,’ Pence’s office said in a statement. ‘At no time did the President direct our office to stay at his Doonbeg resort and any reporting to the contrary is
Trump Said He Was Aware Pence Was Going To Doonbeg But He Didn’t Suggest It. According to MailOnline, “However, the president told reporters on Wednesday, ‘I had no involvement, other than it’s a great place.’ He said he was aware that Pence was going to be in the Doonbeg area, because he has extended family in the area, ‘But it wasn’t my idea for Mike to go there.’ ‘I don’t suggest it. I don’t suggest anything,’ he told a reporter who asked if he suggested Doonbeg to Pence.” [MailOnline, 9/4/19]
¶ Trump Family Luxury Recreation Cost Americans Millions
¶ Trump Golf Trips Cost American Taxpayers $141 Million
Trump Golf Trips Cost American Taxpayers $141,000,000. [Trumpgolfcount.com, accessed 9/8/20]
¶ Secret Service Also Spent $25,000 On Jet Skis So The First Family Could Swim
Secret Service Spent $25,338 On Jet Skis To Protect The Trump Family While They Swam. According to The Daily Beast, “The Secret Service has purchased two jet skis that will help keep the Trump family safe while swimming, according to new U.S. government procurement data reviewed by The Daily Beast. Taxpayers will be picking up the $25,338 tab for the pair of personal watercraft, along with a trailer to transport them, which the agency bought from a Kawasaki dealership in Augusta, Georgia. “USSS: TWO RESCUE WATERCRAFT (JET SKI'S) [sic] AND DUAL TRAILER FOR THE RESCUE SWIMMER PROGRAM,” the delivery order says. The funds are coming from the budget of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Procurement Operations.” [Daily Beast, 7/16/20]
¶ Donald Trump Jr.’s Hunting Trip TO Mongolia Cost Over $75,000 Taxpayer Dollars
Secret Service Spent $76,859.36 For Donald Trump Jr. To Travel To Mongolia To Hunt A Rare Sheep. According to Business Insider, “Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting trip in Mongolia last August cost taxpayers more than $75,000 in Secret Service protection, according to documents obtained by the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). Documents on the trip's cost were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act filing by Crew, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization. It showed Trump Jr.'s eight-day trip, during which he hunted a rare breed of sheep, cost $76,859.36. A previous FOIA from CREW showed the trip had cost $17,000.” [Business Insider, 6/10/20]
Donald Trump Jr. Received Special Treatment From The Mongolian President Securing Him An Unusual Retroactive Permit For The Rare Sheep And Granting Him A Meeting During His Visit. According to ProPublica, “Trump Jr. received special treatment during his summer trip, according to records obtained by ProPublica as well as interviews with people involved in the hunt. Listen to the episode. The Mongolian government granted Trump Jr. a coveted and rare permit to slay the animal retroactively on Sept. 2, after he’d left the region following his trip. It’s unusual for permits to be issued after a hunter’s stay. It was one of only three permits to be issued in that hunting region, local records show. Afterward, Trump Jr. met privately with the country’s president, Khaltmaagiin Battulga, before departing the capital of Ulaanbaatar back to the U.S., according to Khuantai Khafezyn, a local government official in the region where Trump Jr. hunted the argali and a former government official with knowledge of the meeting. It isn’t clear what was discussed. Trump Jr. wouldn’t answer questions about the meeting. Representatives for Battulga haven’t responded to requests for comment.” [ProPublica, 12/11/19]
¶ U.S. Taxpayers Have Spent At Least $357,156.14 On Security For Business Trips To Foreign Properties By Don Jr. And Eric
¶ Secret Service Spent $178,616 Protecting Eric Trump During A Business Trip To Uruguay
CREW: FOIA Records Revealed Secret Service Spent An Additional $80,786 For A Total Of $178,616 Protecting Eric Trump During Business Trip To Uruguay. According to CREW, “Eric Trump visited a Trump property in development in Uruguay from January 8 to 9, 2019, a two-day business trip that cost taxpayers at least $80,786. CREW obtained records through the Freedom of Information Act today that add to the massive bill of Secret Service protection related to the Trump family’s management of the president’s business empire. The 2019 trip brings Eric Trump’s total up to at least $178,616 in taxpayer funds to work on development of the Trump Organization’s Punta Del Este property alone.” [CREW, 2/27/20]
¶ State Department Spent $97,805 Protecting Donald Trump Jr. During Business Trip To India
Washington Post: Purchase Orders From The Department Of Homeland Security Associated With Trump Jr.’s Trip Added Up To $97,805. According to the Washington Post, “Donald Trump Jr.’s trip to India to sell his family’s luxury condominium projects cost U.S. taxpayers nearly $100,000, documents obtained by The Washington Post show. The Department of Homeland Security, responding to a Freedom of Information request, released 47 pages of purchase orders, requisition forms and planning worksheets showing Trump Jr.’s February trip cost more than $97,805 for hotel rooms, airfare, car rental and overtime for Secret Service agents. The costs were incurred on a February tour of four Indian cities — New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata — where the Trump family has licensed its name to luxury high-rise projects.” [Washington Post, 11/15/18]
¶ Secret Service Spent $273,000 On Business Related Trips To Dubai For Eric And Don Jr.
2017: Secret Service Spent $200,000 On Business Trip For Eric And Donald Trump Jr. To Launch Dubai Golf Club. According to Politico, “In February 2017, Eric and Donald Trump Jr. traveled together to Dubai to open a golf club under the Trump brand. The trip cost the Secret Service $200,000, CREW says. According to the spending documents, the agency paid $125,000 for airfare, $75,000 for hotel rooms and $15,000 for miscellaneous expenses including cellphones and car service.” [Politico, 7/18/18]
2018: Secret Service Spent $73,000 Travelling With Don Jr. And Eric Trump To Dubai For Wedding Of Business Partner’s Daughter. According to Politico, “‘The business trip cost taxpayers significantly more than the $73,000 in Secret Service cost for a 2018 trip to Dubai for the Trump sons to attend the wedding of the daughter of a business partner,’ CREW said.” [Politico, 7/18/18]
¶ Secret Service Spent $30,000 On Travel Costs Associated With Eric Trump’s 2017 Business Trip To The Dominican Republic
Secret Service Spent $30,000 On Travel Costs Associated With Eric Trump’s 2017 Business Trip To The Dominican Republic. According to Politico, “Eric Trump also took a less costly trip to the Dominican Republic in February 2017 to potentially relaunch a Trump resort. His business trip cost the Secret Service some $30,000 on airfare, hotels and other costs, according to CREW.” [Politico, 7/18/18]
¶ 2019: State Department Paid £11,000 For Eric Trump’s Summer Visit To Turnberry Resort
July 2019: US State Department Paid £11,000 For Rooms At Turnberry Resort. According to The Scotsman, ‘Donald Trump’s flagship Scottish hotel and golf course has received another five-figure windfall from his own government to cover accommodation costs at the loss making resort, The Scotsman can reveal. The US State Department authorised the payment, worth more than £11,000, for rooms at Trump Turnberry over the next three weeks.’ [Scotsman, 7/9/19]
¶ US. Government Spent $43,291 Protecting Eric During April 2017 Business Trip To Ireland
¶ Secret Service Spent $11,000 At Trump Properties, Nearly $15,000 Total To Protect Eric Trump On His Business Trip
Secret Service Spent $11,261 For Hotel Costs, $4,030 For Limos Protecting Eric Trump In Ireland And UK Visits To Golf Courses. According to Mail Online, “The U.S. government is paying more than $4,000 for limos used for Eric Trump’s travel to Ireland and Great Britain this week on a trip where the president’s son advocated for a Trump golf property. The president’s son, who gets Secret Service protection when he visits Trump properties that are located around the globe, has taken five international trips this year. The Secret Service, which must position agents in advance and otherwise prepare for the trip, spent $11,261 for hotel costs, purchasing orders obtained by CBS News reveal. Costs for limousines for his visit totaled $4,030, the records showed.” [Mail Online, 4/14/17]
¶ State Department Paid Out $28,000 To Trump Doonbeg During April 2017 Visit
State Department Paid $28,000 To Trump Doonbeg Coinciding With Eric Trump Visit In April 2017. According to Irish Examiner, “Documents seen by this newspaper show that the US State Department approved invoices totalling almost $28,000 ( 24,000) for Secret Service visits to the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg in early 2017. The Secret Service activity coincided with a visit to Clare by Mr Trump s son Eric in April 2017.” [Irish Examiner, 7/7/18]
¶ July 2017: U.S. State Department Spent $7,171.14 On Eric Trump Business Trip To Ireland
July 2017: Eric Trump Visited Doonbeg To Play Golf With 30 American Businesspeople. According to irishmirror.ie, “Donald Trump’s son Eric has arrived in Ireland with a group of over thirty US business people to play at his dad’s golf club in Doonbeg, Co Clare. Eric,33, Executive Vice President of the Trump Organisation, arrived in Shannon from Prestwick in Scotland today on board the company’s luxury Boeing 757-200 jet. He and his group are on the final leg of a golf trip which has also taken in the two Trump golf resorts in Scotland.” [irishmirror.ie, 7/22/17]
State Department Reported A Total Of $7,171.14 Of Expenses To Trump Doonbeg In “Support Of E Trump Visit” Over 6 Transactions Dated Late July 2017.