Trump proposes turning his Florida golf club into a presidential retreat like Camp David
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump is proposing to turn part of his West Palm Beach golf club into an official presidential retreat modeled on Camp David for foreign leaders and future presidents.
The proposal would give the federal government a parcel of county-owned land while Trump’s company continues operating the private golf club.
The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, October 7, citing a proposal presented to Palm Beach County officials by the club’s legal counsel.
Lawyer compares plan to Windsor Castle and Elysee Palace
Harvey Oyer, a lawyer representing Trump International Golf Club, asked Palm Beach County to provide land for the federal government and said Trump would pay to build a presidential residence and related facilities, the newspaper reported.
“Just as Camp David, Windsor Castle, or the Elysee Palace are known worldwide, so too will the Presidential Golf Course in Palm Beach County,” Oyer wrote in a letter to the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners last month, the report cited.
The proposed site would be a permanent sanctuary for foreign leaders and future presidents, according to the proposal.
Presidents would also be offered complimentary memberships to the Trump club.
Oyer said construction would not be completed before Trump leaves office, making the project “a gift” to his successors while potentially bringing high-profile traffic to the county.
A White House official familiar with the plans said the proposed facilities would offer amenities of a “world-class property,” as cited by the newspaper.
The official cited the site’s proximity to the Donald J Trump International Airport, security features, nearby law enforcement and the lack of buildings and homes along the course.
Palm Beach County is reviewing the proposal
Palm Beach County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo said the county is seriously considering the proposal and seeking more information.
At a meeting last week, Trump representatives told county officials that Trump’s company would continue making lease payments for the golf course and would build the retreat on connected land with a separate entrance from the private club, Abruzzo said.
The county is also in contact with the General Services Administration, which manages federal properties, and will select a parcel for the proposal.
“My understanding is that President Trump views this as a lasting contribution to the presidency and to those who will hold the office after him,” Abruzzo said, as per the report.
Oyer told the newspaper that a name for the proposed presidential golf course has not been selected.
President Trump has favored his own properties
The proposal would create a presidential retreat at a property that Trump already uses frequently, according to the report.
Trump has visited Camp David less often than many predecessors, while spending weekends and holidays at his own properties.
Trump once said Camp David’s rustic charm would wear off after half an hour.
Presidents have historically used the Maryland retreat in different ways.
Franklin D Roosevelt established it as a presidential compound and called it “Shangri-La,” before Dwight D Eisenhower renamed it after his father and grandson.
Trump International Golf Club opened in 1999 after Trump settled a lawsuit with the county over airplanes flying over Mar-a-Lago and the county agreed to lend him the land.
