Trump Proposes Turning West Palm Beach Golf Club into Presidential Retreat
The former president's attorney has proposed designating a portion of Trump International Golf Club as a retreat for past, present, and future presidents.
Donald Trump is looking to establish a new presidential retreat at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, a concept drawing parallels to Camp David. His attorney, Harvey Oyer, outlined the proposal in a letter to Palm Beach County commissioners, suggesting that a section of Trump International Golf Club be set aside for use by all U.S. presidents and visiting heads of state.
The proposed facility, which has yet to be named, would be situated near an airport and a boulevard named after Trump. Oyer stated that the project is envisioned as a gift for successors and the American public, with construction anticipated after Trump leaves office. The Trump family would continue to manage the golf course operations.
Oyer compared the potential retreat to historical presidential residences such as Camp David, Windsor Castle, and the Élysée Palace. He requested that the county transfer a parcel of land to the federal government, with Trump undertaking the costs for any necessary construction.
The Trump International Golf Club, owned by the Trump family, opened in 1999 on land leased from Palm Beach County. The lease agreement followed a lawsuit settlement concerning aircraft noise over the Mar-a-Lago estate.
Palm Beach County Administrator Joe Abruzzo described the proposal as a "remarkable and historic opportunity" for the county.
This initiative echoes the legacy of Marjorie Merriweather Post, who intended her nearby Mar-a-Lago estate to serve as a "Winter White House." Although the federal government eventually returned the property to her estate due to high maintenance costs, Trump acquired it in 1985. He later informally designated Mar-a-Lago as the "Winter White House" shortly before his inauguration in January 2017.