Donald Trump's golf trips have cost Secret Service $137,000 in golf cart rentals
Golf Culture

Donald Trump’s golf trips have cost Secret Service $137,000 in golf cart rentals

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We've documented the 68 times, to date, Donald Trump has visited one of his golf properties as President of the United States. He's on pace for close to 750 total visits if he serves two terms. Naturally, Secret Service follows him everywhere, and they're required to secure the areas he visits. At a golf club like Trump National in Bedminster, N.J., or in Ashburn, Va., that means Secret Service needs golf carts. So far in the Trump presidency, the Secret Service cart bill is somewhat staggering.

The Secret Service has now spent more than $137,505 on golf cart rentals since Trump took office Jan. 20, 2017, per a USA Today report and a review of federal purchase orders flagged by the progressive PAC American Bridge.

In particular, the Secret Service paid $61,960 on Sept. 29 to rent golf carts at the Trump International Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla., near his Mar-a-Lago club.

This is part of a contract which will run through May 28, 2018, bringing us 18 months or so into Trump's presidency. Prior contracts were in much smaller amounts and for 30-day periods. Obviously there is an expectation from the Secret Service that they will be protecting Trump frequently enough in the are in the next eight months that this is a reasonable contract.

Before revelations of this new contract, the tally had been a little more than $60,000, as of August.

There are also fees for luxury portable restrooms for the Secret Service to use while on the grounds, as well a mobile office and need ballistic glass. That tally covering Trump's Bedminster club alone is $53,316 so far, including more than $8,600 on port-a-johns.

You may be wondering why Trump doesn't provide the carts for free to the Secret Service. Under federal law, Trump cannot provide or pay for any equipment or services the Secret Service needs to protect him. It's a rule designed to avoid any potential conflicts of interests for the agency.

In addition to the cart rentals, the Secret Service spent $15,600 on Oct. 1 to install and remove ballistic glass at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey so Trump could take in the final day of the Presidents Cup.

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is the founder, owner and operator of Golf News Net.

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