Trump proposes converting West Palm Beach golf club into presidential retreat
US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he intends to convert his luxury golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, into a presidential retreat for his successors, similar to the historic Camp David facility in Maryland.
The 80-year-old president told reporters in the Oval Office that US security officials had proposed the plan for the Trump International Golf Club. "Seems that all presidents play golf, and I was asked by Secret Service and the military," said Trump, an avid golfer himself. "It's only about two minutes away from the airport, so they literally would be at that site, and they could spend a weekend there – like a retreat, like sort of a Camp David retreat."
Trump emphasized that the facility would serve future occupants of the White House rather than himself. "They asked if I'd be willing to do it, and I said I would be. This wouldn't be for me, this would be for all future presidents," he said.
The golf club, designed by Jim Fazio and opened in 1999 with a budget exceeding $40 million, was Trump's first golf course property. The championship course previously hosted LPGA tournaments, including the ADT Championship from 2001 to 2008.
Security advantages cited
Trump pointed to security benefits of the proposed location, where gunman Ryan Routh attempted to assassinate him in September 2024. Routh was convicted on all five federal counts, including attempted assassination of a presidential candidate, on September 23, 2025, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus seven years on February 4, 2026.
"There are no high buildings looming over it. There are no houses on it," Trump said of the golf club's security profile.
A White House official stated that the West Palm Beach property possesses all necessary features for a presidential retreat and "happens to be a highly-rated golf course." A lawyer representing the club wrote to local officials in September comparing the proposed retreat to Camp David, Windsor Castle, and France's Elysee Palace, according to the Washington Post.
Trump already spends many winter weekends at the club, located a short drive from his Mar-a-Lago residence, which he has dubbed the "Winter White House." The president did not address whether federal funds would support the conversion project.
Pattern of property-related questions
The announcement follows other Trump initiatives that have raised questions about the intersection of his business interests and presidential duties. Trump is constructing a ballroom at the White House that he has described as privately funded. However, leaked contractor estimates from March 2026 revealed the project is projected to cost $600 million, with approximately $307 million—51 percent of the total—funded by taxpayer dollars through the Secret Service, White House Military Office, and Executive Residence, according to multiple reports.
The president has also faced scrutiny over his decision to host the December 2026 G20 summit at his Trump National Doral Miami resort. The December 14-15 gathering will mark the first time the United States has hosted the G20 summit since 2008. Trump attempted a similar plan during his first term in 2020, seeking to host the G7 summit at Doral, but abandoned the idea following bipartisan criticism over ethical concerns and potential violations of the Constitution's emoluments clause. That meeting was ultimately held virtually due to COVID-19.
The Doral property, which Trump purchased in 2012 for $150 million, features four golf courses, a 48,000-square-foot spa, and a ballroom exceeding 24,000 square feet. The resort sits beneath the flight approach route to Miami International Airport.
Camp David legacy
Trump's proposal comes despite his limited use of Camp David, the traditional presidential retreat. Established in 1942 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who named it "Shangri-La," the facility was renamed Camp David in 1953 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after his grandson. The approximately 125-acre Maryland retreat, located about 60 miles north of Washington, features more than twenty cabins and recreational amenities including a swimming pool and a one-hole golf course.
Every American president since Roosevelt has used Camp David, which has hosted significant diplomatic events including Prime Minister Winston Churchill's 1943 visit and the 2012 G8 summit under President Barack Obama. President Jimmy Carter welcomed Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin there in 1978 to sign the historic Camp David Accords.
Trump visited Camp David only a handful of times during his two terms in office, in contrast to many of his predecessors who made frequent use of the mountain retreat for both relaxation and diplomacy.
