(Photo : Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
BEDMINSTER, NEW JERSEY - JULY 7: 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump speaks during a press conference at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster of New Jersey, United States on July 7, 2021.
Former United States President Donald Trump has been shown to have charged the Secret Service almost $10,200 per month to provide security for the Republican's family in May at Trump's New Jersey golf club, records revealed.
The recently released documents are the latest proof of how Trump and several of his associates have charged government officials to provide security services. Since the Republican left the presidential office, the Secret Service has paid over $50,000 to businesses affiliated with Trump, including resorts.
Charging the Secret Service
In May, Trump moved his office to New Jersey after the closure of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida during the summer. The incident comes after a 2017 incident, where the Secret Service paid at least $137,505 to rent golf carts at the Republican's golf clubs in New Jersey and Florida, MSN reported.
During the Republican's first term as U.S. president, many of the Secret Service's agents were denied pay due to having depleted its funds. The situation was caused by the lucrative costs of Trump's travel and family protection.
Trump reportedly charged the Secret Service more than $40,000 to provide security at his Mar-a-Lago resort since January 20, when he left office after getting defeated by Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential elections. Other Trump-affiliated businesses and properties have racked in taxpayer money for various reasons.
While the Republican is legally allowed to rent the Secret Service to provide security, many ethics experts say that he could decide to waive the payment. This is especially true since he frequently claims that he makes little to nothing for serving. The Bedminster resort costs more than $10,200 for an 18-day stay amounts to about $556 per night, the New York Daily News reported.
The Secret Service also paid nearly $1 million in 2020 for expenses in providing security for Trump at the Republican's Scotland resort. The former president's children have also been responsible for hundreds of thousands of security costs, including one time where Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. took a trip to the United Arab Emirates in February 2017, costing the Service at least $230,000.
Lucrative Use of Business Establishments
Trump used several of his resorts as meeting grounds for foreign leaders and political allies, including powerful donors and lobbyists, during his presidency. In his first term, the Trump Organization profited nearly $2.5 million worth of taxpayer money. Tens of millions of dollars were also given to Trump properties by political groups such as Trump's presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee.
Many advocacy organizations have expressed their concerns after Trump's frequent use of private, non-secure locations for official business. They argued the Republican caused lax security on sensitive intelligence and rampant influence in the administration.
Previously, Trump said that the Bedminster, N.J. golf club was an excellent area to hold business meetings due to its cheaper costs compared to New York. The former president's team also used the resort for his presidential transition team. The Republican argued that the area cost him almost nothing and security did not have to set up any perimeters, USA Today reported.
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