https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2017/02/22/trumps-family-trips-cost-taxpayers-nearly-as-much-in-a-month-as-obamas-cost-in-a-whole-year/#69ac852436e4Trump's Family Trips Cost Taxpayers Nearly As Much In A Month As Obama's Cost In A Whole YearDonald Trump's regular jaunts to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida appear to be costing taxpayers a small fortune. The president's three trips have probably cost the federal Treasury about $10 million, the Washington Post estimates, based on an October 2016 Government Accountability Office analysis of White House travel.
By comparison, Barack Obama's travel expenses averaged just $12.1 million during each year of his presidency. In total, Obama's eight year travel bill came to $97 million and unbelievably, Donald Trump is on pace to outspend him in less than one year. The Washington Post says "the elaborate lifestyle of America’s first family is straining the Secret Service and security officials, stirring financial and logistical concerns in several local communities, and costing far beyond what has been typical for previous presidents."
Before he became America's commander in chief, Trump frequently criticized Obama's travel expenses on Fox News and via his Twitter account.
"President @BarackObama's vacation is costing taxpayers millions of dollars----Unbelievable!"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2012Interestingly, in Trump's first formal interview after his election victory with CBS's 60 Minutes, he said, "I don't think we'll be very big on vacations, no." After a stressful start to his stint in the White House, however, Trump seems to have changed his mind.
