Trump aides off to Mar-a-lago

Some White House staffers will follow current president

Donald Trump plans to fly to his Mar-a-lago resort in Florida sometime before Joe Biden’s inauguration, where several current White House staff will work for him or his son-in-law Jared Kushner after his presidency, according to people familiar with the matter.

Trump intends to live at the Palm Beach resort, the people said, though some of his future neighbors are trying to stop him from taking up permanent residence.

In Washington, the State Department extended an invitation to Biden and his wife, Jill, to stay at Blair House, a historic home near the White House, the night before the inauguration on Jan. 20, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Bidens have accepted, continuing a tradition of presidents-elect.

There has been uncertainty in the White House about where Trump would go after his presidency. Aides had assumed Mar-a-lago, but the president hadn’t told them his plans or said publicly what he’ll do after leaving the White House, the people said.

Kushner plans to live at least part of the time in Miami with his wife, Ivanka Trump, the people said.

Trump aides who plan to work for him or Kushner after the White House include Nick Luna, the director of Oval Office Operations and Trump’s “body man;” Molly Michael, a deputy assistant to Trump; and Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, the people said. Luna’s wife, Cassidy Luna, a deputy assistant to the president, intends to work for Kushner.

The people asked not to be identified because he hasn’t made them public and might change his mind.

It isn’t clear when Trump will depart Washington for Florida. The president on Jan. 8 announced he would not attend Biden’s inauguration.

Vice President Mike Pence — who angered Trump by refusing to go along with his bid to overturn the election and was furious with the president following the riot — will attend Biden’s inauguration.

A lawyer representing several of Trump’s neighbors has demanded that Palm Beach declare that the outgoing president can’t live at Mar-a-lago, citing an agreement he made with the city in the early 1990s when he converted the property from a private residence to a private club.