President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he wants to convert one of his private Florida golf courses into an official presidential retreat, a proposal that would blur the line between the powers of the office and his family's business empire far beyond his own time in the White House.
Speaking at an unrelated event in the Oval Office, Trump described the project as "sort of a Camp David," the secluded Maryland compound that has served presidents as a private venue for diplomacy, summits and weekend respite since the Eisenhower administration. "It's a great idea, and it'll be used a lot," Trump said, adding that the concept had been suggested by the United States Secret Service. "It seems that all presidents play golf."
The property in question sits on Trump's private golf course in West Palm Beach, a short drive from his Mar-a-Lago residence, according to the president. Trump rattled off a list of security advantages the site would offer, noting that it is close to an airport, set back from residential neighborhoods and free of the tall buildings that complicate protective operations in denser areas. Those considerations, he suggested, mean the course already has many of the security features required to host presidents and visiting world leaders.
According to Trump, the plan has already been submitted to local officials in Florida, indicating that at least some preliminary work is underway. He did not offer a detailed timeline, cost estimate or financing structure for the proposal, and the White House did not immediately outline how such a facility would be funded, staffed or governed.
The idea carries immediate and unusual ethical implications. Placing a government-run retreat on property Trump personally owns would commingle the presidency with his business ventures in a way that could extend well past the end of his term. Any future president would be a guest of the Trump organization, and taxpayers could ultimately be directed toward expenditures that benefit a privately held business. Government ethics experts have long warned that such arrangements raise questions about patronage, market-rate payments and the appearance of a sitting president enriching himself through official acts.
The proposal is also the latest example of Trump seeking ways to leave a lasting physical imprint on the presidency. It follows a broader pattern of construction-focused ambitions, from renovations and new projects in Washington, D.C., to other developments he has championed as part of his legacy. In that sense, a "Trump Presidential Retreat" would function as both a practical facility and a branded landmark bearing his name long after he leaves office.
Camp David itself offers an instructive comparison. Operated by the U.S. Navy and secured by the Secret Service, the Maryland retreat hosted Cold War negotiations, Middle East peace talks and G7 summits. Establishing a comparable facility would require the kind of permanent security infrastructure, communications hardened against attack, and staff support that presidents rely on when they travel outside Washington. Whether those requirements could be met on a working golf course — and at what cost — remains an open question.
The Secret Service's alleged endorsement of the concept is notable. The agency is responsible for the protection of presidents, former presidents and their families, and it regularly assesses properties for vulnerabilities such as sight lines, perimeter control and proximity to airports. If the service did recommend the site, it would speak to the practical advantages Trump described, though the agency does not typically weigh in on decisions with such significant financial and political dimensions.
There is also a more personal dimension to the location. The West Palm Beach golf course was the site of an unsuccessful attempt on Trump's life in 2024, a fact the president did not mention during his remarks on Wednesday. The episode underscored both the venue's visibility and its security challenges, and it would likely factor into any formal security review of the property.
Trump's enthusiasm for golf is well documented, and he has spent a significant portion of his presidency playing at his own courses. A retreat dedicated to the sport would formalize that pattern, giving future commanders-in-chief a ready-made venue for informal diplomacy, donor outings or simple weekend downtime in a warm-weather setting.
Critics, however, may see the plan as a symbol of the transactional approach Trump has brought to the presidency, where official functions and private interests frequently overlap. Supporters, by contrast, are likely to frame it as a pragmatic, cost-effective use of existing infrastructure that spares taxpayers the expense of building a facility from scratch.
For now, the proposal exists mainly as a set of remarks and an application before local officials. Whether it advances will depend on regulatory approvals, funding decisions and the political reaction that follows once the details — including who owns, operates and profits from the retreat — become clearer.
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