Trump Laments G-7 Move From Doral; Miami-Dade Mayor Pitches Vizcaya As Possible New Venue
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – President Donald Trump lamented Monday he was forced to move next year's Group of Seven Summit from his private golf club in Doral.
Meanwhile, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez sent a series of text messages to officials with the Trump administration pitching Vizcaya as a possible new venue for the summit.
"I hope Miami will still be considered for G-7. It would be an honor…We hosted the conference of the Americas 20 years ago at Vizcaya. It is a spectacular venue and very good security-wise... Reagan also met Pope John Paul there…We can make it happen. You won't find a more spectacular venue in all America," Gimenez said.
A move to Miami-Dade is just fine with the mayor of Doral.
"As a person who has grown up in south Florida, I would love for it to be in Doral," said Mayor J.C. Burmdez. "But if it is not in Doral and it is in another part of Miami-Dade County, I would be happy and supportive also."
That said, if you take away the Trump uproar, Mayor Bermudez thinks the Trump property is the most practical location. Has concerns about Vizcaya.
"If it was going to be difficult in a world class resort, where everybody could be in the same place right by Miami International Airport, you are looking at a historic building where people would have to stay in other hotels, and have to get there, and you have the water, and you'll have a lot of complications also," he said.
In a series of tweets on Saturday night, Trump said he would no longer consider his Doral property to host the summit after bipartisan criticism that he was trying to profit off the presidency.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting Monday, Trump said it would have been the greatest G-7 ever if held at his Doral resort outside Miami.
"I would have done it for free, now it will cost the country millions of dollars," Trump said.
Trump dismissed concerns that he was trying to get free publicity for his resort. He says, "You don't think I get enough promotion?"
Trump reversed course Saturday on hosting the G-7 at Doral after Republicans joined Democrats raising alarm.
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said, "At the end of the day, you know, he still considers himself to be in the hospitality business and he saw an opportunity to take the biggest leaders from around the world, and he wanted to put the absolute best show, the best visit that he possibly could. And he was very comfortable doing it at Doral, and I think we're all surprised at the level of pushback. I think it's the right decision to change. We'll have to find someplace else."
Trump is claiming that he put his business interests in trusts, but the underlying assets — his family-owned business — are well known to him.
Sen. Marco Rubio weighed in on the topic Monday night.
"Like I said, look, it would have been great for Florida, but I understand the push back against it," Rubio said. "But it is a non-issue, now, I guess."
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)