A significant part of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term has focused on changes in the nation's capital. But his ambitions to transform the physical architecture of the presidency extend beyond Washington: Trump wants to turn his golf club in West Palm Beach into a presidential retreat modeled on Camp David. The Washington Post reports, writes UNN.
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The plan reportedly envisions the private club property being designated as a permanent official retreat for foreign leaders and future U.S. presidents, intended to host international summits and accommodate presidents when they vacation in Florida, according to a proposal presented to Palm Beach County officials by the legal counsel for Trump International Golf Club. Future presidents would also be offered free membership in Trump's club.
"Just as Camp David, Windsor Castle, or the Élysée Palace are known around the world, so too will the Presidential Golf Course in Palm Beach County be known," Harvey Oyer, an attorney representing Trump's golf club, wrote last month to the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners. Oyer approached the county, which owns the property on which the golf course is located, asking it to grant the land to the federal government, and he promised that Trump would pay for the construction of a presidential residence and facilities on the land.
Oyer told The Washington Post that a name for the Presidential Golf Course has not yet been chosen.
"This will further establish Palm Beach County as one of the world's most renowned brands and destinations," Oyer said.
A spokesperson for the Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment.
A White House official familiar with the proposed plans said in a text message that the facilities would provide the amenities of a "world-class hotel."
"The hotel is minutes from Donald J. Trump International Airport, has no high-rise buildings, has no houses along the course, has excellent security facilities, is located near law enforcement, and is a highly rated golf course. These are the features necessary for any presidential retreat," the White House official said.
In the letter, first reported by the Palm Beach Post, Oyer said construction would not be completed before Trump leaves office, so the project would be a "gift" to Trump's successors, while the county would benefit from the area's strong transportation connections.
The county is seriously considering the proposal and is seeking more information, Palm Beach County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo told the publication. At a meeting last week, Trump's representatives assured county officials that, under the proposal, Trump's company would continue making lease payments for the golf course and agree to build the presidential retreat on an adjacent parcel of land that would have a separate entrance from the private club, Abruzzo said.
Trump's club would continue operating under the direction of Trump's family company and would likely receive more business if it became a place of long-term presidential significance, the publication notes.
The county is in contact with the General Services Administration, the agency that manages federal property, and the county will select a parcel of land for the proposal, Abruzzo said.
"As I understand it, President Trump views this as a lasting contribution to the presidency and to those who will hold the office after him," Abruzzo said.
Although presidents already have a retreat at Camp David, Trump visited the compound less often than many of his predecessors, preferring to spend weekends and holidays at his own homes. He once remarked that Camp David's rural charm wears off after about half an hour.