Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he intends to transform one of his Florida golf courses into a presidential retreat, envisioning a Camp David-style getaway where future occupants of the Oval Office can spend weekends away from the public eye. The proposal positions the private club in West Palm Beach as a secure haven for presidents and foreign leaders, complete with existing security infrastructure.
The plan, which has already been filed with local authorities, marks the latest effort by Trump to embed his legacy within the institutions of the presidency, blending his private business holdings with official presidential functions. During an Oval Office appearance, Trump highlighted the site’s advantages, noting its proximity to an airport and its separation from residential areas and tall structures, which he argued enhances security.
Trump did not address the fact that the Trump International Golf Club was the site of an assassination attempt in 2024. During a break from campaigning, an armed individual was spotted near the property’s perimeter fence. The suspect was apprehended after a chase, convicted of attempting to kill the president, and subsequently sentenced to life in prison.
In correspondence with Palm Beach County commissioners last month, attorney Harvey Oyer wrote that Trump is offering to designate the facility as a “U.S. Presidential Golf Course.” Oyer compared the potential global recognition of the site to that of Camp David, Windsor Castle, or the Elysée Palace. The letter emphasized that the project would serve current and former presidents, as well as visiting heads of state, and noted that Trump would be out of office before the project’s completion, characterizing it as a gift to his successors.
Under the proposal, the Trump Organization would fund the construction of new lodging for presidential use while collaborating with the Secret Service and other agencies to provide free access to the federal government. The club, which generated nearly $37 million for Trump in his first year back in office, operates on land leased from Palm Beach County, meaning local approval is required for any changes.
Palm Beach County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, stating that local officials are eager to explore the “historic opportunity” and its potential to cement the county’s status on the national and international stage for generations.
The proposal aligns with a series of past projects initiated by Trump, including plans for a White House ballroom, renovations to the Oval Office, the Kennedy Center, and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, as well as a planned presidential library in Miami. Trump has historically favored his own properties over Camp David, the rustic Maryland retreat traditionally used by presidents for downtime and diplomatic meetings.
Oyer’s letter also drew parallels to previous presidents who donated land for public use, such as Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Gettysburg Farm and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s estate in Hyde Park. The concept of a presidential retreat on private Florida soil is not without precedent; Mar-a-Lago was previously proposed as a “Winter White House” before Trump purchased the property in 1985, and it later became his primary residence.
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