Getty ImagesUS President Donald Trump is looking to create a presidential retreat similar to Camp David at his Florida golf club.
The club would foot constructions costs as a “gift” to Americans and provide free memberships to future presidents – and accommodations to visiting foreign dignitaries.
“It’s only about two minutes away from the airport … and they could spend the weekend there, like a retreat, like a sort of Camp David retreat,” Trump said on Wednesday.
If it comes to fruition, Trump’s transformed golf estate would stand in stark contrast to the rustic Camp David, once a Great Depression-era camp in the woods for federal employees. It would also mark another tradition transformed by Trump.
The US president has sought to cement his legacy through changes to the White House, including gilded gold leaf accents in the Oval Office, demolition of the East Wing and construction of a ballroom. He is pushing ahead with plans to erect a massive triumphal arch elsewhere in Washington.
He has hosted national security meetings and other events at Camp David, known as the president’s country residence. The Camp David property – set deep in Catoctin Mountain Park in Frederick County, Maryland – was first taken over as a retreat by President Franklin Roosevelt, who nicknamed it “Shangri-La”.
The area is rustic, and in some ways resembles the military facility it officially is – Naval Support Facility, Thurmont. The entire facility is staffed by uniformed members of the US Navy and Marine Corps.
Getty ImagesThe secure facility is largely hidden from public view, with Marines guarding the perimeter and airspace above restricted. It is not marked on maps of the national park, even if its location is known to locals.
Press is only very rarely allowed on the grounds – meaning that photography of the wood and stone cabins and lodges that make up most of the facility are tightly controlled.
On a recent visit by the BBC, for example, reporters in the White House press pool were under strict instructions to avoid taking images in unauthorized areas or providing details on the camp’s layout.
Getty ImagesTrump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, on the other hand, is connected to the rest of the city by ample roadways, some of which are lined with supporters or protesters when the president is there.
The 27-hole golf course and club bills itself as having “a lively social scene” and fine dining – and is visited often by Trump’s political allies during his many weekends in Florida. It includes a luxurious clubhouse, a gift store and hosts frequent social events for members.
The president’s argument that the area is “secure” is notable. In recent months, Trump has frequently used national security and safety arguments to justify various projects in Washington DC, including his White House ballroom project the planned Triumphal Arch.
Asked by reporters if he would call the new presidential retreat at his golf club “Camp Donald”, Trump replied, “Well, it’s already called Trump International. It’s one of the best golf courses in the world.”
He said among advantages is the absence of high buildings and homes looming “so you don’t have … people hiding behind windows”.
“They can get maximum safety,” the president said. “It’s a great idea and it’ll be used a lot.”
Getty ImagesTrump said at the Oval Office on Wednesday that Secret Service officials first suggested the idea of using the golf club as a presidential retreat, and that he thinks it is “a great idea”.
“It’s about as safe as they could possibly get,” he said.
The BBC has contacted the Secret Service for comment.
A letter dated 3 September from the golf course’s attorney to the county commission in Florida said Trump offered to deem the club as a “U.S. Presidential Golf Course” for presidents and visiting heads of state, according to USA TODAY’s Palm Beach Post.
The letter, obtained by the local outlet, states that the golf club would provide access to all its facilities at “no cost to the federal government” and provide free membership to future presidents.
The golf club would front constructions costs as a “gift” to Americans and local residents, according to the letter.
“This wouldn’t be for me,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday. “This would be for all future presidents.”
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