Trump wants to turn part of his West Palm Beach golf club into an official presidential retreat — with future presidents getting complimentary memberships next door.
Donald Trump has spent years turning presidential travel into a tour of Trump properties. Now he is proposing something more permanent: turn part of his West Palm Beach golf club into an official presidential retreat modeled on Camp David. Not a metaphorical Camp David. An actual federally recognized presidential getaway attached to the golf course that reported nearly $37 million in income for Trump last year.
The proposal, first reported by The Washington Post, calls for Palm Beach County to transfer a parcel of publicly owned land to the federal government so a secure presidential residence and meeting facility can be built next to Trump International Golf Club. Trump’s representatives say he would personally pay for construction, while the private golf course would continue operating beside it.
That setup is where the story gets weird enough to carry itself. Camp David is a government-owned retreat tucked into the mountains of Maryland. Trump’s version would sit next to a private club bearing his name, with future presidents apparently offered free memberships. Apparently the peaceful transfer of power may soon include the phrase, “Your tee time is at 8:40.”
Trump’s representatives argue the location makes practical sense. It is near the airport, close to law enforcement, surrounded by open land and already designed around controlled access. A lawyer for the Trump club said the goal would be to create a globally recognized presidential retreat capable of hosting foreign leaders and future presidents.
The proposal also promises that Trump would not personally use federal money to build the new residence. His lawyer told county officials the construction would be funded by Trump and would not be completed before he leaves office, making it a gift to future presidents rather than a private residence for Trump himself.
That distinction matters, but it does not erase the obvious conflict question. The federal retreat would sit beside a functioning Trump-branded golf club. Foreign leaders, presidents, Secret Service personnel and other government activity could bring prestige and traffic to a property that remains privately operated by the Trump Organization.
The White House argues the surrounding club would remain separate and that the federal portion would have its own entrance. Palm Beach County officials say they are seriously reviewing the proposal and gathering more information before making a decision.
Supporters can point out that presidents have long used private or family properties for official work. George W. Bush hosted foreign leaders at his Texas ranch. Ronald Reagan spent large stretches at Rancho del Cielo. Trump himself has used Mar-a-Lago for meetings with world leaders throughout both of his presidencies.
But those were private presidential residences used temporarily. This proposal would create a permanent federal retreat embedded beside a private business owned by the sitting president. That is a more unusual arrangement, particularly when the private business could benefit from being known worldwide as the club next door to America’s official Florida White House.
Trump has also spent a remarkable amount of time golfing during his second term. The Post cited one online tracker estimating at least 137 golf days so far. Trump famously criticized Barack Obama for playing golf as president, proving once again that political principles sometimes improve considerably after you acquire a better clubhouse.
The proposal may not move quickly. County officials have to evaluate the land transfer, federal agencies would likely need to review security and construction plans, and the eventual presidential retreat would apparently outlast Trump’s current term.
For now, the question is simpler: should a sitting president be able to create a permanent federal retreat directly beside a private business bearing his name, even if he personally pays for the government facility?
