Trump Again Uses Taxpayers to Boost His Business

President Trump's Taxpayer-Funded Business Promotions

Sterling, Va. – President Donald Trump has once again utilized taxpayer resources to promote his personal for-profit business. On Friday, he traveled via Marine One from the White House to his Virginia golf course to speak at an ongoing Saudi Arabia-backed golf tournament. This trip added to the nearly $18 million in travel and security costs associated with such trips.

Trump’s golf courses have been affiliated with LIV Golf, a venture backed by the Saudi government that has faced significant financial difficulties since its launch in 2021. The company has hosted multiple tournaments, and this is the second time Trump has used taxpayer funds to promote an LIV event since rejoining office in January.

Financial Impact of Trump's Travel

The total amount spent on travel and security for these promotional trips during Trump’s second term has reached $17.7 million. Despite this, the White House has not responded to inquiries regarding any potential benefits to American taxpayers from these visits or whether Trump plans to reimburse the government for the costs of using Marine helicopters.

“With the country at war in the Middle East, and Americans facing a worsening affordability crisis, the president is spending his time making promotional appearances at his properties and events that boost his bottom line,” said Jordan Libowitz from the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “The economy looks great when you skip out on D.C. to have foreign countries and foreign nationals line your pockets.”

According to a General Accountability Office analysis of Trump’s first-term trips to Mar-a-Lago, a round-trip helicopter flight to his Virginia golf course costs taxpayers approximately $115,000.

Unprecedented Use of Office for Personal Gain

Unlike every other president in at least a century, Trump has openly used his office to promote his personal financial interests. His most lucrative venture has been his crypto exchange, World Liberty Financial, which may be generating billions for him.

While his higher-profile business appearances have focused on promoting his golf businesses and his crypto “meme” coins, the financial implications are substantial.

In April 2025, Trump flew Air Force One to Miami for a dinner related to a previous LIV tournament at his golf resort in Doral. The cost to taxpayers for that trip was roughly $2.7 million.

On May 22, 2025, he traveled aboard Marine One to his Sterling golf course, another $115,000 trip, for a dinner for those who purchased the most Trump tokens — which have no intrinsic value and whose price has plummeted since Trump unveiled them just before retaking office.

Last month, Trump flew to Mar-a-Lago to speak at a luncheon for those who purchased his meme coins. Due to the high cost of protecting his Palm Beach country club, that trip cost taxpayers at least $3.4 million.

Additional Expenses and High-Cost Trips

Last weekend, Trump flew to his golf resort in Doral to attend a PGA tournament. This trip piggybacked on a $3.4 million golf trip to Mar-a-Lago and added about $1.7 million in expenses for the additional flight to Miami and the security there.

However, the most expensive business promotional trip was a roughly $9.7 million excursion to Scotland last summer to attend the opening of a golf course at his resort in Aberdeen. Trump had his White House staff, paid for by taxpayers, carry the event live.

Separate from his trips to promote his businesses, Trump has also spent over $100 million of taxpayer money to play golf at his various courses since returning to office, according to a CryptoLiveDaily analysis.

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