Former President Donald Trump has reportedly charged the U.S. Secret Service more than $40,000 to use a room while protecting him at his Mar-a-Lago Club.
According to federal spending records obtained by The Washington Post, the Secret Service was charged $396.15 every night starting on January 20, the same day Trump left the White House for his resort.
Taxpayers ultimately paid for those charges continuing until at least April 30. The total costs amounted to $40,011.15. As the Post reports, citing a person familiar with the payments, “The charges were for a single room used as a workspace by Secret Service agents.”
The Post reports Trump moved to his Bedminster, New Jersey, club for the summer. It is unclear as to whether the Secret Service was still being charged in May.
Trump charged the Secret Service the same $396.15-per-room rate he charged as president. Secret Service agents rented fewer rooms following the former president’s departure from the White House than when he was president, as the Post reports.
According to records, during his presidency, the Secret Service rented four or five rooms at the resort for every night Trump was there.
The Post notes former presidents are protected by the Secret Service their whole lives. Still, the outlet adds, “But last year The Washington Post spoke to historians and representatives for recent presidents and could not find another example of a president charging the Secret Service rent on this scale.”
President Joe Biden charged the Secret Service $2,200 per month to use a cottage on his property in Delaware while protecting his during his time as vice president.
Between 2011 and 2017, Biden received $171,600. A White House spokesman said the Secret Service has not been charged by Biden since he became president.