Donald Trump’s travel to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida has already cost taxpayers an estimated $21 million, putting the president on pace to spend more in his first year on the job than former President Barack Obama did in his entire eight years in office.
The high cost of Trump’s jet-setting falls in stark contrast to his campaign-era criticisms of Obama’s golfing habits.
Since taking office 82 days ago, Trump has spent a little more than a quarter of his time – 21 days – at his family’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Putting an exact price tag on the president’s trips is hard to do, but CNN estimated security and travel between Washington and Florida has cost about $21.6 million so far.
By contrast, Obama spent just under $97 million on travel over his two terms in office, according to a report by the conservative government watchdogs Judicial Watch. That price tag included the Obama’s ski trips to Aspen, annual summer vacations in Martha’s Vineyard and some business vacations as well.
Obama played golf 38 times a year on average, according to Golf Digest, playing 306 rounds over eight years. Donald Trump wasn’t shy to criticize Obama’ avid golfing habit while on the campaign train, but the POTUS has already hit the links 14 times since his inauguration 11 weeks ago.
@BarackObama played golf yesterday. Now he heads to a 10 day vacation in Martha’s Vineyard. Nice work ethic.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2011
President @BarackObama‘s vacation is costing taxpayers millions of dollars—-Unbelievable!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2012
Can you believe that,with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf. Worse than Carter
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2014
President @BarackObama‘s vacation is costing taxpayers millions of dollars—-Unbelievable!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2012
We pay for Obama’s travel so he can fundraise millions so Democrats can run on lies. Then we pay for his golf.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2014
While campaigning in 2015, Trump told The Hill he wouldn’t have time for vacations if he were elected.
“I would rarely leave the White House because there’s so much work to be done,” Trump said at the moment. “I would not be a president who took vacations. I would not be a president that takes time off.”
Trump’s Florida weekends are expected to taper off next month when the region becomes “stiflingly hot,” CNN reported.
Trump’s lavish spending also comes at a time when he has proposed deep spending cuts across the federal government, an irony that has been lost on few.
Trump has emphasized his intent to cut waste, in some cases targeting programs that only cost the government a few million dollars a year.
