Trump proposes Camp David-style presidential retreat at his private Flor…
President Donald Trump has proposed converting his private West Palm Beach golf club into a designated presidential retreat funded entirely as a gift.
- Headline: Trump proposes Camp David-style presidential retreat at his private Flor…
- Dispatch Summary: President Donald Trump has proposed converting his private West Palm Beach golf club into a designated presidential retreat funded entirely as a gift.
- Verification: Corroborated across independent reporting outlets with primary sources and real-time wire transmissions.
It's only about two minutes away from the airport … and they could spend the weekend there, like a retreat, like a sort of Camp David retreat,
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday in the Oval Office. The proposal to convert his private Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, into a designated presidential retreat merges official executive functions with the president's business holdings long after he leaves office.
The plan, first detailed in a letter to Palm Beach County commissioners, proposes designating the property as a U.S. Presidential Golf Course.
Trump claimed the initiative originated with the United States Secret Service, telling reporters, It's a great idea, and it'll be used a lot.
Asked if he would name the site Camp Donald,
Trump replied, Well, it's already called Trump International. It's one of the best golf courses in the world.
What is confirmed about the Palm Beach County proposal?
Official records and public statements outline a concrete structure for the project. In a letter dated Sept. 3 and first reported by the Palm Beach Post, attorney Harvey Oyer wrote to Palm Beach County commissioners on behalf of the golf course. Oyer stated that the Trump Organization—which owns the golf club while leasing the land from the county—would fund the construction of new presidential lodging entirely as a gift.
The facility would provide free memberships and access to future presidents, as well as accommodations for visiting foreign heads of state. The proposal includes a separate entrance from the private club, which generated nearly $37 million for Trump during his first year back in office according to his financial disclosure. Palm Beach County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo stated that local officials are eager to explore the opportunity, noting it likely would further cement Palm Beach County's place on the national and international stage for generations to come.
Who gains from a Florida course replacing Maryland's rustic woods?
Trump's pitch contrasts sharply with the isolated environment of Camp David. While the Maryland facility is hidden from public view in Catoctin Mountain Park and guarded by Marines, the West Palm Beach property sits amid bustling roadways near urban infrastructure. Trump cited the absence of high buildings and nearby homes as a major security advantage, asserting that presidents can get maximum safety
without people hiding behind windows.
Yet the project also intertwines executive power with a commercial asset. Trump has spent less time at Camp David than past executives, frequently preferring his own properties in Florida, New Jersey, and Virginia. The proposal arrives alongside a long list of architectural and design projects pursued by Trump, including building a White House ballroom, gilding the Oval Office, erecting a triumphal arch, renovating the Kennedy Center, refurbishing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and rebuilding a golf course in East Potomac Park.
What security and historical questions remain unanswered?
Notably absent from the administration's security pitch is any mention of the 2024 assassination attempt at the same West Palm Beach golf course. During a break from the campaign trail, a Secret Service agent spotted an armed man in the trees lining the club's perimeter fence. The intruder was arrested after a chase, convicted of trying to kill Trump, and sentenced to life in prison.
- 1973: Businesswoman and socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post dies, leaving Mar-a-Lago to the National Park Service as a potential Winter White House.
- 1980: The National Park Service returns Mar-a-Lago to Post's estate due to high maintenance costs.
- 1985: Donald Trump purchases Mar-a-Lago, which later becomes his primary residence.
- 2024: An armed man is spotted in the trees at Trump International Golf Club and later sentenced to life in prison for an unsuccessful attempt on Trump's life.
- September 2026: Attorney Harvey Oyer sends a letter to Palm Beach County commissioners offering to designate the West Palm Beach golf course as a U.S. Presidential Golf Course.
- October 8, 2026: President Trump publicly announces his desire to develop the golf course into a Camp David-style retreat during an Oval Office event.
Proponents of the plan have sought historical cover by citing past presidential land donations. Oyer's letter noted that Dwight Eisenhower donated his Gettysburg Farm in Pennsylvania to the National Park Service and Franklin D. Roosevelt donated part of his estate in Hyde Park, New York. However, unlike those public donations, the Trump Organization retains ownership of the club while leasing the underlying land from the local government.
What are the local government's next steps?
Because the Trump Organization leases the underlying land from Palm Beach County, any structural changes or official redesignations require formal local approval. County commissioners must review the legal framework and financial arrangements submitted by Oyer before any construction on the new presidential lodging can begin.
This is a gift that the President would like to share with his successors, the people of America, and his fellow Palm Beach County residents,
Oyer wrote, adding that Trump will be out of office before the project is finished.
