Liberal group launches site tracking Trump's Mar-a-Lago trips
With President Donald Trump spending many weekends away at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, the liberal Center for American Progress (CAP) Action Fund is launching a website to track the cost and timing of Mr. Trump’s Palm Beach trips.
The CAP Action Fund this week launched the website, “Is Trump At Mar-a-Lago,” which will analyze how much U.S. taxpayers spend on Trump’s security and other related costs, and what those funds could cover instead. Trump is facing increasing scrutiny for frequent trips to his “Southern White House,” which are costing taxpayers millions. Mr. Trump has been criticized for authorizing the strike on a Syrian airbase last week while meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping at his luxurious club.
Mr. Trump’s frequent Mar-a-Lago meetings with foreign dignitaries and U.S. officials have also raised ethics concerns, as they take place on private property, away from public view. Democrats introduced a bill last month to publish public visitor logs for Mar-a-Lago, so taxpayers can see who had access to the president -- and when.
CAP Action Press Secretary Morgan Finkelstein called Mr. Trump lambasted Mr. Trump for spending “millions of government dollars at Mar-a-Lago” and said in a news release. “Our tracker will provide context and keep Trump accountable for his out-of-control spending at taxpayers’ expense.”
The Government Accountability Office has agreed to probe whether Mar-a-Lago has a secure space for classified communications, if screening measures used on guests meet security standards, and how the government ensures that travel-related expenses are reasonable. The CAP Action’s new website will use GAO figures.
CAP was founded by John Podesta, former chairman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. The organization has been a vocal force of criticism against Mr. Trump thus far in his presidecy.