Over the weekend, a report suggested that Donald Trump wouldn’t be accompanied into the White House living quarters by his wife, Melania, and their son, Barron. Generally speaking, false stories about President-Elect Trump see corrections pretty quickly. And the story that Melania and Barron would be staying put in Manhattan has stood, so perhaps it’s true that Barron will continue schooling in NYC and live with his mom in Trump Tower while dad trots back and forth between Washington D.C. and home.
Unsurprisingly, the cost of protecting Donald Trump while he stays in Trump Tower has grown enormous — CNN Money places the amount in excess of $1 million per day — since his victory. The Secret Service and NYPD have teamed up to fortify the building, which is surrounded by barricades that block pedestrian traffic and close entire lanes in midtown Manhattan. Currently, the bill is largely being footed not by the federal government but by NYC.
Because Melania and Barron are staying in NYC, that cost won’t fade away once Trump moves into the White House. In addition, the Trump kids and grandkids will all receive Secret Service protection in the city. NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence & Counterterrorism John Miller verified this amount, and NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio issued a statement to say the city needs federal help:
“The number one imperative here is safety and security. We owe that to the president elect, his family and his team,” said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press conference on Friday. But he added the city will need help with those costs, particularly police overtime.
“This is a very substantial undertaking. It will take substantial resources. We will begin the conversation with the federal government shortly on reimbursement for the NYPD for some of the costs that we are incurring.”
Indeed, this cost would be more easily shouldered by federal taxpayers, although some folks won’t appreciate that much either, given how Trump likely avoided federal taxes for decades. However, the Trump presidency is happening whether anyone agrees or not, and there will be unconventional living arrangements for the first family. Taxpayers clearly expect to pay the bill for a president’s White House stay, but the Trump family will be maintaining multiple residences, so it shall be expensive. More so than usual.
(Via CNN Money)