The Secret Service is paying $179,000 to rent golf carts at one of Trump's courses this summer
- The Secret Service has signed a $179,000 contract for golf cart rentals at Donald Trump's Bedminster course this summer, The Washington Post first reported.
- The total exceeds previous years despite coronavirus social distancing measures.
- It is unknown whether Trump has a trip planned. His daughter Ivanka visited Bedminster last month.
- The president's golf trips have been put on hold since March 8 due to coronavirus restrictions, and his Bedminster club had to close for 46 days.
- The course reopened on May 2, though the club has since warned its members against socializing.
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The Secret Service will spend $179,000 on golf cart rentals at one of Donald Trump's courses this summer, according to The Washington Post — a total that exceeds previous years despite coronavirus social distancing measures.
On Friday, federal spending records posted online showed that the Secret Service had signed a $179,000 contract to rent "golf carts and other vehicles" in Bedminster, New Jersey. The president owns the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.
The Post reported that the carts are rented from the New York-based Associates Golf Car Service, which has supplied the vehicles on each of Trump's visits to Bedminster.
In past years, similar rentals have taken place ahead of one of Trump's visits to his club, according to The Post.
Federal records showed that the Secret Service paid Associates Golf Car $95,000 for the service last year, and $118,000 the year before.
It is unknown whether Trump has a trip planned this time around — The Post noted that the Secret Service also protects his family, including his daughter Ivanka, who visited Bedminster last month despite stay-at-home coronavirus orders.
The contract, which was signed on Monday, lasts until October 31.
The Post counted that Trump has played golf 250 times at his resorts throughout his presidency. HuffPost calculated that these trips have cost taxpayers $133.8 million.
A report released in March showed that Secret Service agents racked up a $950,000 bill during a single trip to Trump's Scotland resort in July 2018.
However, his golf trips have been put on hold since March 8 due to coronavirus restrictions, and his Bedminster club had to close for 46 days.
The course reopened on May 2, though the club has since warned its members against socializing, according to The Post.
An email sent to members obtained by The Post read: "Under no circumstances will any type of congregating or gathering."
Trump stays in a detached cottage on the club's grounds during his visits, according to The Post, while the Secret Service has previously rented a $17,000-a-month four-bedroom cottage near the president's.
The Secret Service and Associates Golf Car declined to comment when contacted by The Post, while The White House, the Trump Organization, and the Bedminster club did not immediately respond to request for comment.
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