Trump proposes Camp David-style presidential retreat at his private Florida golf club
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. —
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Trump → propose → club
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he wants to develop one of his Florida golf courses into a presidential retreat where his successors can spend quiet weekends on the greens, describing it as "sort of a Camp David " that he says would already have many of the security features needed to host presidents and world leaders.
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he → say → presidents
The proposal for the retreat on Trump's private golf course in West Palm Beach would comingle the presidency with Trump's business ventures beyond his time in office, and is the the latest example of Trump seeking ways to leave his imprint on the presidency.
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Trump → comingle → presidency
"It's a great idea, and it'll be used a lot," Trump said, claiming it was suggested by the United States Secret Service.
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it → use → Service
"It seems that all presidents play golf."
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presidents → seem → golf
The plan has already been submitted to local officials.
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plan → submit → officials
Trump, an avid golfer, rattled off the benefits of the property a short drive from his Mar-a-Lago home during an unrelated event in the Oval Office, noting that it's close to an airport and has some distance from residential homes and tall buildings, which pose security risks.
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which → rattle → risks
He did not mention that the golf course was the site of an unsuccessful attempt on his life in 2024.
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course → mention → 2024
Trump was playing at the Trump International Golf Club during a break from the campaign trail when a Secret Service agent spotted an armed man in the trees lining the club's perimeter fence.
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agent → play → fence
The man was arrested after a chase and later convicted of trying to kill Trump, and was sentenced to life in prison.
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man → arrest → prison
Past presidents have used Camp David, a rustic compound in Maryland, as a weekend retreat and a place to host presidential meetings.
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presidents → use → meetings
Trump has spent less time there, often opting for his own properties, including golf clubs in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia.
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Trump → spend → Florida
Palm Beach County sees what it calls a 'historic opportunity'
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it → see → what
Trump's proposal follows other projects by the lifelong real estate developer to build a White House ballroom, gild the Oval Office, erect a triumphal arch, renovate the Kennedy Center, refurbish the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and rebuild a golf course in East Potomac Park.
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proposal → follow → Park
He has also begun planning a future presidential library in a Miami skyscraper.
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He → begin → skyscraper
In a letter to Palm Beach County commissioners last month, first reported by the Palm Beach Post, an attorney who represents the golf course said Trump is offering to designate it as a "U.S. Presidential Golf Course."
"Just as Camp David, Windsor Castle, or the Elysée Palace are known worldwide, so too will the Presidential Golf Course in Palm Beach County," Harvey Oyer said in the letter.
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Oyer → report → letter
Palm Beach County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo said in a statement that local officials are eager to explore what this "historic opportunity" could mean to the community.
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opportunity → say → community
"This likely would further cement Palm Beach County's place on the national and international stage for generations to come," Abruzzo said.
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Abruzzo → cement → generations
Oyer's letter said the West Palm Beach golf course could be used by current and former presidents, along with visiting foreign heads of state.
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course → say → state
The Trump Organization owns the golf club but leases the land from the county, which would need to approve any changes.
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which → own → changes
Under the proposal, the club would pay to build a new presidential lodging and then work with the Secret Service and other agencies to provide free access to the federal government.
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club → pay → government
The retreat would have a separate entrance from the private club, which earned Trump nearly $37 million during his first year back in office, according to his financial disclosure.
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which → have → disclosure
"This is a gift that the President would like to share with his successors, the people of America, and his fellow Palm Beach County residents," Oyer wrote.
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Oyer → like → America
"It should be noted that President Trump will be out of office before this proposed project could be completed so this is a gift to his successors."
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this → note → successors
Oyer highlighted past U.S. presidents who turned over land for public use.
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who → highlight → use
Dwight Eisenhower donated his Gettysburg Farm in Pennsylvania to the National Park Service, and Franklin D. Roosevelt donated part of his estate in Hyde Park, New York.
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Roosevelt → donate → Park
Years before it was bought by Trump, Mar-a-Lago itself was proposed as a "Winter White House."
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Lago → buy → House
Businesswoman and socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post left the home to the National Park Service when she died in 1973, but the agency returned the home to her estate in 1980 because of high maintenance costs.
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agency → leave → costs
Trump bought the property in 1985, and it later became his primary residence.
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it → buy → 1985
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