Here's How Many Government Programs Could Be Paid for with the Money Trump Spends Traveling to Florida
Since he's all about eliminating government waste.
President Donald Trump laid out his budget plan last week, and it's all about cutting what he views as government waste. Numerous agencies and programs, including the Department of Education and Meals on Wheels, stand to see funding cuts or total shutdowns. Yet the President has spent a lot of money thus far on personal travel.
Since his inauguration on January 20, Trump has spent five weekends at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Each trip costs around $3 million in security and other costs, according to estimates from multiple news outlets.
For $15 million, Trump could:
Fund the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (which his budget cuts entirely) for more than three years.
Or a year of the National Wildlife Refuge fund, which costs just $13.2 million.
Or more than a year of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, which investigates chemical accidents, for just $11 million.
Or a year of small business grant programs that his budget slashed, which costs just $12 million a year.
Additionally, it's costing taxpayers roughly $500,000 per day for Melania and Barron Trump's security while living in New York, according to police officials, since the first lady and Trump's youngest son have not yet moved to Washington, D.C. Trump has been in office for 60 days—that's $30 million.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
For $30 million, Trump could:
Fund two months of the National Endowment for the Arts, a longtime target of Republicans for cuts. The NEA helps fund arts organizations, many of which count children and military veterans among their members.
Or two months of the National Endowment for the Humanities, which typically funds cultural institutions, such as museums, libraries, and universities.
Or an entire year of the African Development Fund, a foreign aid agency focused on Africa, for just $26 million.
Or nearly six months of the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, which lets the president "provide humanitarian assistance for unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs worldwide."
RELATED STORIES
If Melania and Barron stay in New York through the end of his school year, that would be at least another $30 million in expenses. When you include security for Donald, Jr., Eric, and Tiffany, who all live in New York, the estimate doubles to nearly $1 million a day. It's hard to estimate the total long-term costs of their protection, particularly because Donald, Jr. and Eric travel abroad for work so often. On a recent business trip, security for Eric cost more than $100,000, in case you were wondering where your tax dollars were going.
Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
-
Prince Andrew's Business Advisor Accused of Being a "Spy" and Banned From the U.K.
"We found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Kate Middleton Allegedly Rejected Idea to Seat Prince Andrew "Behind a Pillar" at Her Christmas Carol Concert
"Although very much a family affair... there was no space for Uncle Andy."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
32 Celebrities Who Got Their Start on Reality TV
Believe it or not.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to Men
It's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
By Brooke Knappenberger Last updated
-
How New York's First Female Governor Plans to Fight for Women If Reelected
Kathy Hochul twice came to power because men resigned amid sexual harassment scandals. Here, how she's leading differently.
By Emily Tisch Sussman Last updated
-
Why the 2022 Midterm Elections Are So Critical
As we blaze through a highly charged midterm election season, Swing Left Executive Director Yasmin Radjy highlights rising stars who are fighting for women’s rights.
By Tanya Benedicto Klich Published
-
Tammy Duckworth: 'I’m Mad as Hell' About the Lack of Federal Action on Gun Safety
The Illinois Senator won't let the memory of the Highland Park shooting just fade away.
By Sen. Tammy Duckworth Published
-
Roe Is Gone. We Have to Keep Fighting.
Democracy always offers a path forward even when we feel thrust into the past.
By Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland, hosts of Pantsuit Politics Podcast Published
-
The Supreme Court's Mississippi Abortion Rights Case: What to Know
The case could threaten Roe v. Wade.
By Megan DiTrolio Published
-
Sex Trafficking Victims Are Being Punished. A New Law Could Change That.
Victims of sexual abuse are quietly criminalized. Sara's Law protects kids that fight back.
By Dr. Devin J. Buckley and Erin Regan Published
-
My Family and I Live in Navajo Nation. We Don't Have Access to Clean Running Water
"They say that the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Why are citizens still living with no access to clean water?"
By Amanda L. As Told To Rachel Epstein Published