Trump arrives for holiday at Mar-a-Lago
Christmastime at Mar-aLago.
President Donald Trump touched down about 1:35 p.m. Friday at Palm Beach International Airport, just hours after he signed the most sweeping tax reform legislation in decades. He also signed a stopgap measure that will avert a gov- ernment shutdown and add $4 billion for missile defense.
Trump’s holiday agenda will likely include attending Christmas services at a historic Palm Beach church, enjoying New Year’s revelry and possibly squeezing in a few rounds of golf.
Trump is expected to return to Washington on Jan. 1, according to guidance from the Federal Aviation AdministraIt’s The president greeted supporters and signed autographs on the tarmac for just over 20 minutes. One supporter held a sign that read, “Merry Trumpmas.”
Shortly after landing, Trump weighed in on the Florida’s governor race, tweeting support for U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis. The Republican congressman is expected to launch a 2018 bid for the post.
Trump’s daughter, Tiffany Trump, accompanied the president on Air Force One.
A group of Orthodox Jews lined the motorcade route to Mar-a-Lago. They held signs thanking Trump for commuting the prison sentence of Sholom Rubashkin, the former meatpacking executive contion.
victed of bank fraud.
Some speculated Trump might sign the tax bill at his Palm Beach estate, but Trump opted for a last-minute ceremony at the White House.
The president said he decided against a formal ceremony in early January because he wanted to keep his promise to sign the legislation into law by Christmas.
“We did a rush job today,” Trump said. “It’s not fancy, but it’s the Oval Office. It’s the great Oval Office.”
First lady Melania Trump and son Barron have already been spotted this week in South Florida, according to the Palm Beach Daily News. Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr. addressed the Turning Point USA conference on Tuesday in West Palm Beach. The gathering of thousands of conservative student activists was just a few miles from Mar-a-Lago.
Trump thanked the organization’s founder Charlie Kirk on Twitter on Friday. Earlier this week, the group came under fire in a New Yorker article that accused it of skirting campaign finance laws.
On Friday, student activists listened to Ann Coulter and other conservative speakers at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Many wore “Make America Great Again” hats. One student donned a button that read, “Taxation is theft.”
Dylan Sparks, 20, a student at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, said he was excited to have spent time at Trump’s part-time home.
“Younger people do pay attention,” Sparks said. “They don’t want to be crippled with debt. We want to try to push our current leaders to give us a better future.”
Last year, Trump attended Christmas Eve services at The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-theSea in Palm Beach. More than 800 guests attended a New Year’s Eve Celebration at Mar-aLago, including the actor Sylvester Stallone and male model Fabio.
Tickets prices have increased for this year’s celebration at Mar-a-Lago, according to Politico. Prices are $600 for dues-paying members and $750 for their guests, Last year’s tickets cost $525 for members and $575 for guests.
The annual membership fee for Mar-a-Lago also doubled to $200,000 after he was elected president.
This marks Trump’s 10th visit to Mar-a-Lago since he became president. Flight and boat traffic will be restricted near Mar-a-Lago when Trump is in town. Roads near the Palm Beach estate will also be closed.
His administration provided some year-end relief for Palm Beach County taxpayers. South Florida law enforcement agencies will receive about $3.4 million to offset the cost of protecting Trump at Mar-a-Lago from his inauguration to Sept. 30.