While living in New York, First Lady Melania Trump cost taxpayers $675,000 to and from New York to DC, and nine fights to pick up or drop off Mrs. Trump at their private club in Florida.
The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reported, “First lady Melania Trump took 21 flights in a three-month period on Air Force jets at a cost of more than $675,000 before she moved to the White House in June 2017, military records show. Air Force jets flew Mrs. Trump to and from New York City, Florida and Washington under an arrangement unlike any modern first lady because she was living in New York after President Donald Trump’s inauguration to allow their son Barron to finish the fifth grade. While the first lady was living in Trump Tower in Manhattan, Air Force jets made at least 19 trips to LaGuardia Airport in New York and nine trips to Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport to drop off or pick up Mrs. Trump.”
While Republicans were trying to take healthcare away from millions, Melania Trump was wasting taxpayer money
The First Lady is not an official job. Melania Trump has no formal duties. She was not elected by the people, nor does she receive a salary. All of her flights because she chose to reside in New York, are non-work travel. By choosing not to live in the White House, Mrs. Trump cost taxpayers $30 million+ for additional security. It turns out that the American people were also picking up the tab for her commute to see her husband and stand by his side on Florida vacation and White House photo-ops.
There was no reason for the additional travel and security cost to the American people other than Melania wanted to live in New York. The Trumps should have never used government resources to fly her around. Donald Trump owns a private jet. Again, the First Lady is not a government official. She has no need for transportation by Air Force jet.
At the time that Melania Trump was wasting money, Trump and the Republican Congress were attempting to take health care away from nearly 30 million Americans. The upward redistribution of wealth that is the Republican economic ideology isn’t limited to tax cuts. It also includes a president depriving the people of government resources while his family gets fat on the taxpayer’s dime.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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