Before taking office, Donald Trump said he would be “completely isolating” himself from his personal businesses, but the Washington Post says “instead, Trump has visited his properties 274 times, according to a Post tally.” Reporter David Fahrenthold has taken on the painstaking project of trying to track all the bills the government has paid to Trump’s properties. In a report out today, Fahrenthold and Josh Dawsey write that “Trump’s luxury properties have charged the U.S. government more than $1.1 million in private transactions since Trump took office — including for room rentals at his Bedminster, N.J., club this spring while it was closed for the coronavirus pandemic.”
In Bedminster this spring, the records show, Trump’s club charged the Secret Service more than $21,800 to rent a cottage and other rooms while the club was closed and otherwise off-limits to guests. The documents don’t give a reason for these rentals. Trump didn’t visit the club while it was closed, but his eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her family reportedly visited at least once.
Heres the email from Trump Bedminster’s GM, announcing the club was closing for covid on 3/17/20.
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) September 17, 2020
And here are two bills, showing @realdonaldtrump’s club charging the Secret Service about $16,000 while the club was shuttered.
Why? Trump Org wouldn’t say. pic.twitter.com/8Rjlx0x1QA
The Washington Post says the White House and the Secret Service declined to comment and The Trump Organization didn’t respond to emailed questions.