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Trump’s golf trips have cost taxpayers $71m since January and could eventually top staggering $300m, report says (www.independent.co.uk)
submitted 8 months ago by to c/politics@lemmy.world
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Donald Trump has reportedly spent about $71m in taxpayer-funded costs on golfing during his second term, and if his current pace continues, that total could reach $300m by the end of his term.

According to a HuffPost analysis, Trump’s latest visit, on Wednesday, marked his 16th trip to Mar-a-Lago this year, with each trip costing $3.4m in travel and security.

If Trump makes two more trips to Mar-a-Lago in December, his 2025 golf costs would surpass $75m, putting his total for the term over $300m, the outlet said.

During his first term, Trump spent $151.5m in taxpayer-funded golf travel and security.

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[–] 117 points 8 months ago (5 children)

This article leaves out the most important point: it's not just the cost of the trips, it's that the trips are to courses he owns. Not only does the Federal Government pay handsomely for these trips, but that money goes directly back into Trump's pocket, because he's paying his own company.

All those hotel rooms and meals (for Trump and his security staff) all generate personal profit.

And apparently, it's all OK! Maybe we need Pritzker to run for President someday and be just as blatant about staying in hotels his family owns. If a Democrat pulled this shit, Republicans would pass laws to outlaw it in a heartbeat.

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  • [–] 32 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    It's entirely illegal. Not that something like that has ever once stopped a Republican.

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  • [–] 16 points 8 months ago* (2 children)

    Au Contraire! The Supreme Court has said that it is not possible for the President to be punished for breaking the law as part of his official duties, and the only check on this superpower is Congress, via impeachment. Therefore, if Congress does not impeach, it must be legal!

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  • [–] 17 points 8 months ago (2 children)

    TIL golfing is part of his official duties. Considering how much he golfs, and that he's quite literally being paid to golf, and that it's apparently part of his job to golf, you'd think he'd be better at it.

    What a useless, greedy piece of shit. A cancer to our country and to our species, endlessly sucking resources to do nothing of value while starving the host. The useless eater was the fascist all along.

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  • [–] 3 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    The apologist say it's good for networking. Which maybe in theory, but doesn't hold up to scrutiny how he's using it.

    Trump has also used golf as a tool for influence and relationship-building. Politicians and world leaders, from Finnish president Alexander Stubb to US senator Lindsey Graham, have played rounds with him, seeking to win favor or maintain alliances.

    And the stretch to justify continues:

    Trump’s latest health report also cited his frequent golfing as proof of his physical fitness, framing it as part of an active lifestyle.

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  • [–] 2 points 8 months ago

    By that logic, Hegseth's day drinking is part of his job if he does it with generals or foreign state officials.

    The way trump golfs is about as active as taking a road trip and stopping at every exit and pumping your gas. Bowling, billiards, and mini golf are on the same level as his golf game. I doubt he could even keep up with his peers in a game of pickle ball.

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  • [–] 21 points 8 months ago

    If a Democrat pulled this shit, Republicans would pass laws to outlaw it in a heartbeat.

    Which is why Biden failed so badly, he had a chance to push the rules to get some laws on the books before Trump took over.

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  • [–] 4 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    They'd impeach a Democrat if they pulled shit like this

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  • [–] 2 points 8 months ago* (2 children)

    Nah, they all do it, and they don't want to open the flood gates. It's why trump was never impeached for violations of the emoluments clause

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  • [–] 2 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    What do you mean by "it" that they all do? Because it's definitely not spending this much time, or amount of money per trip, that they're all doing.

    In contrast, former President Joe Biden’s trips to Wilmington, Delaware, and Rehoboth Beach cost far less than Trump’s golf trips because he used smaller aircraft or helicopters, as the local airport cannot accommodate a 747.

    Former President Barack Obama was also known for his frequent golf outings, but they were far cheaper than Trump’s, as he would also use smaller aircraft or play at nearby courses, including on the course at Maryland’s Joint Base Andrews.

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  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago (1 child)

    They is congress. Almost all US reps illegally leverage their power for personal profit

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  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago (1 child)

    Insider trading is a bipartisan rep problem for sure (legal! since they make the laws!) Not sure it's any better or just different: in the case of the reps, the corruption wealth gains are not direct money from taxpayers. Stockholders get the short end of the stick on that one.

    But the president historically has held to higher standards. What Trump is doing is a new level of corruption, both for the specific office of president and for the direct taxpayers source of his wealth gain. It's reasonable to have fresh outrage over it, even for people with outrage fatigue on the Congress insider trading issue.

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  • [–] 4 points 8 months ago

    And this is a conservative estimate!

    Most of the costs come from military and law enforcement salaries, which haven’t kept up with inflation, so the figures aren’t adjusted to current dollars... the real costs are almost certainly higher than these unadjusted estimates.

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  • [–] -1 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    If a Democrat pulled this shit, Republicans would pass laws to outlaw it in a heartbeat.

    What is "this shit"? Does Nanci Pelosi's insider trading count as "this shit" or you people only notice "shit" when republicans do it more blatantly?

    You people are sheep heading for the culling and you decide whose team you're on, the herder or the butcher.

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    • [–] 21 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    To his own golf courses. Don’t forget that. The pedophile is paying himself.

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    • [–] 18 points 8 months ago (2 children)

    Didn’t the makeup wearing pedophile talk trash about presidents playing golf?

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  • [–] 2 points 8 months ago

    Trump famously slammed Obama’s frequent golfing at a rally in February 2016, promising that, as president, he would give up visiting his courses in Scotland and South Florida.

    “I love golf, but if I were in the White House, I don’t think I’d ever see Turnberry again. I don’t think I’d ever see Doral again,” Trump said. “I don’t ever think I’d see anything. I just want to stay in the White House and work my ass off.”

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    • [–] 16 points 8 months ago

    Where is dumbass fElon with that Doge chainsaw?

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    [–] 13 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    Remember how much hay they made about Obama golfing?

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    • [–] 9 points 8 months ago

    Wonder how many people could have been fed with that money.

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    [–] 4 points 8 months ago

    If he could spend a billion dollars golfing they would all consider that a massive accomplishment

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