Before she moved into the White House last year, first lady Melania Trump’s travel cost taxpayers more than $675,000, the Wall Street Journal has learned.
Military records from the first three months of the administration show that the Air Force made 48 flights in order to ferry Mrs. Trump between New York City, Washington, D.C., and West Palm Beach, so she could join President Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Unlike any first lady in modern history, Melania Trump decided against moving to Washington until Barron Trump finished school for the year, and eventually made the move on June 11.
First lady Melania Trump (left), seen with President Trump (right) arriving in Warsaw, was unlike other first ladies and decided not to move to Washington, D.C. until June
Mrs. Trump (right) was concerned about pulling Barron Trump (left) out of school, so decided to remain in Trump Tower in New York while President Trump (center) relocated to Washington
Melania Trump’s (left) arrangement meant that Air Force jets had to ferry her between New York, Washington and West Palm Beach
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that flights used for Mrs. Trump (right) – some with her on them and others with her crew – cost taxpayers more than $675,000 during the first three months of the administration
The paper found no impropriety with the first lady’s (right) travel, but partisans are always critical of presidential vacationing and travel, as President Trump (left) had been with his predecessor
That meant that when she wanted to make moves, a flight crew would need to be in place to shuttle her to either Washington or Florida from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, with taxpayers paying $336,299 for flights with just the crew on board, and another $340,335 for flights with the first lady on board from January through mid-April.
The Wall Street Journal had requested the documents in May, a month before Mrs. Trump’s move. The newspaper published its story Monday.
‘It’s no secret that Mrs. Trump lived in New York City the first few months of the administration so that her son could finish school,’ noted the first lady’s spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham. ‘The trips mentioned in this story are examples of Mrs. Trump juggling dual roles – putting her son first while also fulfilling some of her duties as first lady,’ Grisham told the Journal.
President Trump (right) is frequently criticized for jaunting between the White House and his Bedminster and Mar-a-Lago resorts
The first lady raised eyebrows on Thursday for taking an unannounced trip to West Palm Beach on a military plane, which will cost taxpayers money
And there’s no impropriety suggested when it comes to the first lady’s travel.
It’s just political bellyaching over the cost of taxpayer-funded travel associated with the president and his family is American tradition, especially from members of the opposing political party.
One of the loudest critics when it came to President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama’s travel was none other than businessman, and occasional political flirt, Donald Trump.
In 2012, for instance, Trump called Michelle Obama’s weekend ski trip to Aspen ‘insensitive.’
‘Michelle Obama’s weekend ski trip to Aspen makes it 16 times that Obamas have gone on vacation in 3 years,’ the future president huffed.
Later that same year, Trump tweeted about how the Obamas’ 2010 vacation to Spain – in which the first lady traveled with youngest daughter Sasha, leaving the president at home – cost taxpayers over $476,000.
Trump transposed the numbers, with the cost actually being above $467,000, according to Judicial Watch.
‘They love to spend money,’ Trump complained.
Now the president is getting the criticism as he frequently jaunts to Mar-a-Lago or Bedminster for the weekend, two of his Trump-branded resorts.
The first lady made news on Thursday when she unexpectedly hopped a plane to West Palm Beach to spend time at Mar-a-Lago, a flight that will again be at taxpayer expense.