Trump’s south Florida estate raises ethics questions
and Abe paid visits to two of Trump’s golf courses in nearby Jupiter and West Palm Beach, before a more formal delegation dinner at Mar-a-Lago.
World leaders typically exchange gifts, and Trump and Abe did so when Abe rushed to New York City in November to become the first foreign leader to meet with Trump after the election. Abe gave Trump a pricey, gold-colored Honma golf driver; Trump reciprocated with a golf shirt and other golf accessories. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said that Abe’s free-of-charge stay at Mar-a-Lago is Trump’s gift to Abe this time around. But the gesture wasn’t sitting well with government watchdog groups. Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, said Trump and Abe don’t need to meet at Trump’s commercial property, where the membership fee recently was doubled to $200,000. “Hosting a foreign leader at the president’s business resort creates impossible sets of conflicts,” Weissman said. “If the president hadn’t offered to pay, the US government would be paying Donald Trump’s business for the purpose of hosting the Japanese leader.” Typically, the US government would pick up the costs associated with such a visit. Weissman said that Camp David, the US government-owned retreat in Maryland’s Catoctin Mountains, which presidents use for personal getaways as well as to conduct the people’s business, would do fine. “Why should you go to a resort in Florida?” Weissman asked. “Fine, you want to go to a resort in Florida? Don’t go to one Trump’s family owns.”
But Trump has shown that he isn’t too concerned about possible conflicts of interest involving him and his family. This past week, Trump used his official government Twitter account to criticize Nordstrom after the retailer said it had dropped a line of clothing and accessories sold by his daughter Ivanka. Trump offered a possible explanation for inviting Abe to Mar-a-Lago, saying a “great friendship” had developed from their New York meeting. The president is expected to continue bringing world leaders to the estate, helping to fulfill the vision of the property’s former owner, Marjorie Merriweather Post.