The Secret Service spent more than $95,000 this month to rent golf carts for President Donald Trump’s trips to his New Jersey course this summer, raising the total the agency has spent on equipment — from golf carts to generators — for Trump’s trips to his properties to more than $1 million.
On May 6, the agency signed a $95,200 deal with Associates Golf Car Service Inc. for carts to be used in Bedminster, N.J., through October, according to government spending records.
Trump, who still owns and profits from his properties, frequents Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in the summer and the Mar-a-Lago Club and Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, Fla., in the winter.
To date, the Secret Service has spent $253,610 for golf carts at Bedminster and $136,840 at his Florida properties, according to the Federal Procurement Data System.
Since Trump took office, the agency has signed $1.1 million in deals for equipment at Trump’s properties, including $390,000 for golf carts, $193,000 for tents, $128,000 for generators and $83,000 for portable restrooms.
Critics have said Trump is unethically promoting his business through his frequent trips to his properties and have taken him to court because his hotel in Washington has taken money from foreign governments, a potential violation of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause.
Trump often builds his official and campaign trips around stops to his properties, whether in California or New York.
The Irish Times reported Thursday that Trump was considering canceling his scheduled trip to Ireland next month between stops in Britain and France because Irish government officials don’t want to meet him at his golf course in Doonbeg.
Instead, Trump was looking to head to Scotland, where he could visit one of the two courses he owns there, The Times reported.