Trump could fund homelessness agency for decades if he stopped visiting Trump properties

The President of the United States Donald Trump is visiting his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida this weekend.

He also announced cuts to arts, poor and elderly services.

In his budget proposal for 2018, the president put four programs on the elimination table: one which combats homelessness, another unemployment among over- 55s, as well as participation in the arts and access to higher education for those from poor socioeconomic backgrounds.

According to research by Politico, American taxpayers foot a bill of more than $3 million (£2.4 million) each time he travels there – which he’s done four times just this year.

The cost of these trips could have funded the US Interagency Council on Homelessness – which was budgeted at $4 million (£3.2 million) in 2016 - for almost four years.

Here are a few painful estimates...

Politico’s estimates come from a 2016 Government Accountability Office Report from a trip Barack Obama made to Palm Beach in 2013.

The trip had cost $3.6 million, (£2.9 million), $3.2 million (£2.6 million) of which was the cost of the aircraft.

By assuming that Obama’s 2013 trip can be “allocated” by hour of flight time, they estimated that the trip would cost approximately $514,000 (£415,000) per hour.

Melania Trump and her 10-year-old son Barron live at Trump Tower in New York - the distance by plane from Washington DC and New York varies between one hour and an hour and a half.

Combining the trips Trump could potentially make to New York, as well as Mar-a-Lago, he could fund the homelessness agency for more than 10 years.

According to a senior aide Melania Trump and Barron will be moving to the White House in June, earlier than anticipated.

Additionally a CNN Money report claims that protecting Trump’s family at Trump Tower reportedly costs $1 million (£806,516) a day – that’s $30 million (£24 million) in just a month.

Had they lived in the White House with Donald, that cost would be essentially naught.

'The habitual vacationer'

Trump previously criticised Obama for the cost of his travel to the taxpayer.

According to Politico, the unemployment level was actually 8.2 per cent.

How past presidents kept costs down

It is worth noting that former US president Ronald Reagan reportedly spent Christmas in the White House over his family’s ranch because it was cheaper, required less secret service agents and allowed them and other aides to spend the holidays with family.

HT Washington Post

More: The White House just accidentally shared an article condemning Donald Trump

More: A pilot explains what happens if you accidentally leave your mobile on during take off