Politics
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Donald Trump.
- The US government reportedly spent more than $60,000 on President Donald Trump's weekend stay at his Turnberry resort.
- The episode is the latest example of the president mixing government business with his personal business.
The US government spent more than $60,000 on President Donald Trump's weekend stay at his Turnberry resort in Scotland, The Scotsman newspaper reported Tuesday.
The Scotsman reviewed spending records that showed the government spent about $61,000 on accommodations for Trump and his staff at his organization's Scottish golf club. The payments were made by the State Department to SLC Turnberry Limited, the company behind the hotel and golf course.
Trump and his staff stayed at the golf club for two nights, as the president played a pair of rounds at the course. Trump said he would be taking meetings and calls while at the resort.
The episode is the latest example of the president mixing government business with his personal business. Prior to taking office, Trump opted against a either a full divestiture from his businesses or placing them in a blind trust.
Instead, he passed control to his two adult sons, Eric and Donald Jr., and a senior Trump Organization executive. Trump continues to profit off his businesses, as he has made frequent trips to Trump Organization properties such as Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster as president.
Ethics experts railed against the arrangement, saying it was far less than ideal and did not eliminate conflicts of interest.
The Scotsman reported that it was not clear whether that payment covered the entirety of the US government's bill. Robert Weissman, president of the watchdog group Public Citizen, told The Scotsman that the total cost of the visit could reach $200,000 based on past presidential trips.
The Trump Organization and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.