Obamas last 17-day vacation to Hawaii cost $35 million

"President Barack Obama's vacation travel costs during his eight-year presidency have totaled more than $96 million, according to a report by Judicial Watch.

The government watchdog foundation said it filed two separate Freedom of Information Act lawsuits for Secret Service costs related to the Obama family's travel.

The costs totaled $96,938,882.51 over the past eight years, according to documents Judicial Watch received from the Secret Service and the U.S. Air Force."

You reckon he would lease that 2K acre winery out for some deer hunting?

Anywhere he or his immediate family goes, or those the SecService believes needs protection, they have to be fully protected with planning, security details, etc. It's not just "going to his place" and hanging out.

For instance, there is a 10-mile no fly perimeter around Mar-A-Lago whenever DT is there. That includes shutting down small airports for all flights. The USCG patrols the waters of the Atlantic since MAL is on the shore. That also includes the local law enforcement being on extra hours, and far more other details than anyone knows.

Here's one account: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/...m=.014f9f277c45

Another: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/...m=.48ed91d5bff6


It's just part of the business of protecting the president and his family. But no, he and the family ain't just going home. The same thing applies to anyone, including Bush when he went to Crawford, Obama when they flew to Hawaii or Cape Cod, and so on, and their families.

Just going on the $10+ million in the first month - which is underestimated since not all travel-security expenses are available - DT would be on pace to easily and far outspend Obama or any other president for security costs for travel.

I'm betting Trump probably needs more security than past Presidents, with all these folks running around with PESD

Rebelman already has it posted on Rayonier's website

I don't think you are comparing apples to apples...entertaining the Japanese PM all weekend is considered a vacation? Interviewing NSA candidates all weekend is a vacation? Many Presidents have had working weekend getaway locations that I doubt were considered in "vacations" expenses, just part of standard presidential travel. My guess is - especially until Melania moves to Washington - they will be down in Florida just about every weekend, otherwise he would be going to New York, which is probably more of a mess. People would be bitching about the cost of having to fly his wife and son into Washington if he were to stay. It's a lose/lose situation for him and I doubt he gives two shats about it. Him and his family are going to get secret service protection no matter where there are. I'm sure they will get it figured out where it becomes cheaper and cheaper to transition and travel to the places he frequents most often.

If he gets done what he campaigned on I don't care how many "working" vacations he takes.

Apparently the more he vacations, the more he gets done if the past few weeks are any indication. And he wasn't even in my top 3 for the Primaries. Heck, I hope he takes one a week.

Call it working or vacation or working vacation or whatever. The bottom line is the cost and expense of protecting a traveling president and his family is gigantic, especially in some situations such as MAL that are open to public areas such as the beach.

Splitting hairs about "working" vs. "vacation" to slam Obama is fine if that's what someone wants to do. Many will. Eh, that's part of it.

If Trump wants to work on the weekends and really save taxpayers money, he can stay in D.C. instead of flying to MaL. Congressional G.C. is accustomed to hosting presidents. The expense would be far less. Didn't he run on cutting waste in government? It certainly looks like he could start by looking at his own expenses for the last month.


Additionally, I don't give two rips if he's getting things accomplished. Fly to MaL, Camp David, West BFE Texas or wherever for all I care.

The way I see it, is pretty much it will be Trump haters that bitch about it, much like it was Obama haters that bitched about him. I for one never bitched about Obama taking vacations, but I did hate to see him go golfing at some very in-opportune times. It would be one thing if he was using the golf as a form of diplomacy, which so far is how Trump has used golf...but Obama loved to go golfing with his famous buddies.

So in summary - I didn't ever put any importance on the expenses of Obama's - or any previous President's travel - and I don't plan on it for Trump. Those that do are just looking for something to bitch about.

Pretty much how I feel.

Bush liked to ride his mountain bike, especially in Crawford. No one gave a chit about that because it wasn't talked about as much and biking isn't seen as an elitist sport like golf. Obama played golf (a lot, agreed, and at some inopportune times), as did Clinton. Bush the Elder liked to fish, which was cool. They all have their getaways and working getaways.

So for those keeping score:
Obama averaged $1,009,780/mo
Trump cost 10x more in his first month alone.

Please remember these kinds of details when you hear people rail on the hypocrisy of the Republicans & Democrats.

I'm sure trumps expenses will be more. He has a big AMERICAN family that had resided in the US for years. Obozo was only a recent Muslim Foreigner meaning less secret service etc. I'm sure he had already saved us more money than his vacations will cost over the next 4 years. So in the big picture I don't give a chit what it cost with the money and waste he is cutting

The price for the presidency is ~$1.5 BILLION per year. Your number are very inaccurate. I am not saying that Trump is costing less or more, but your $1 million figure is left wing fantasy land.

amazing some of the things people will type, (I assume proof read, or at least think about) and then still hit send. on both sides.

So FOX is "left wing fantasy land" now?
See for yourself

Much rather see president trump vacationing than prez hitlery doing anything...

Trump's Mar-a-Lago trips cost taxpayers about $10M
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New EPA chief says agency can also be pro-jobs

© AP Photo/Susan Walsh President Donald Trump waves in front of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner while visiting the Boeing South Carolina facility in North Charleston, S.C., Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Trump visited the plant before heading to his…
Budget watchdogs are criticizing the cost of President Trump’s visits to Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, Florida. Mr. Trump has been at his so-called “Winter White House” the past three weekends. That’s 11 of his first 33 days in office. The travel has an estimated price tag of $10 million.
Between Secret Service and police surrounding the estate, and the U.S. Coast Guard in the surrounding waters, Mar-a-Lago is a fortress when the president is here. The White House won’t disclose the exact cost of Mr. Trump’s visits, but the $10 million estimate is based on figures from a similar trip by President Obama in 2013.
Air Force One accounts for a big chunk of the presidential travel budget, costing more than $180,000 per hour to operate, reports CBS News correspondent Manuel Bojorquez. That means the roughly four-hour roundtrip flight to his seaside estate costs more than $700,000.
Watch: Questions about national security briefing in Mar-a-Lago dining room
“If he’s going down there every weekend, the costs are going to add up pretty quickly,” said Tom Fitton, president of watchdog group Judicial Watch. Fitton is pressing the administration to release Mr. Trump’s travel costs. “He doesn’t need to go to Florida every weekend. He can work at the White House or up at Camp David,” Fitton said. Mr. Trump often attacked his predecessor over his travel. He once tweeted: “President @barackobama’s vacation is costing taxpayers millions of dollars---Unbelievable!”

Four years ago, a weekend Mr. Obama spent in South Florida cost taxpayers $3.6 million. The Pentagon spent about $2.8 million for Air Force One plus support aircraft and military personnel. The Secret Service and the Coast Guard added nearly $800,000. During his eight years in office, Mr. Obama racked up about $97 million in travel costs. Mr. Trump is on pace to eclipse that by the end of his first year. 
Watch: Palm Beach: Where the Gilded Age never ended

© Provided by CBS Interactive Inc. palm-beach-mar-a-lago-promo.jpg
Another cost of keeping Mr. Trump safe? Disruptions to businesses near Mar-a-Lago. The airspace around Lantana Airport in Palm Beach County is restricted whenever the president is in town. On an average day, there are around 300 takeoffs and landings. But when the president is there, nothing’s moving — except the bottom line for businesses that operate out of this airport. They say they lose about $30,000 each weekend they’re closed. Others welcome the presidential visits to Palm Beach. Ed Kassatly owns a boutique in the ritzy Worth Avenue shopping district. “President Trump will bring many more high-end visitors to the community, which is definitely going to help everyone on a high economic scale,” Kassatly said.
Regardless of who is in office, presidential trips are never cheap. Clearly, the president must be kept safe. But he also needs to travel with a large contingent of aides so he can continue running the government, especially during emergencies.

Who cares... I guess we all should have voted for Hillary right?