Secret Service under fire after charging taxpayers for $25,000 in jet skis so Trump's family could swim

While President Donald Trump spent weekends at Mar-a-Lago, the U.S. Secret Service was patrolling the waters around the private club so his family could swim.

The Daily Beast reported that it's yet another example of the first family costing taxpayers a hefty sum to entertain a "greater-than-normal travel" schedule for the president, his children and grandchildren.

The request for the jet skis came in 2019 when the USSS argued that they needed them to do "water training" and protect the president's family throughout the year.

"President Trump and his family spend several weeks throughout the year in Mara Largo FL (sic) and Hamptons NY. The First Family is very active in water sports," the request reads, according to WRC-TV reporter Scott McFarlane.

The estimated cost at the time was anticipated to be $9,999 to $15,299, but somehow the final cost came in at more than $25,000.

"The funds are coming from the budget of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Procurement Operations," said the Daily Beast.

"Several family members along with their guest [sic] participate in open water activities for which USSS Special Agent Rescue Swimmers are responsible," the solicitation said according to The Beast. "[Special agents] have rented watercraft with their own personal funds to allow them to be near our protectees in various water environments to fulfill the USSS Rescue Swimmer mission."

Purchasing the jet skis may have been the more affordable option, however. It was revealed in May that the Secret Service charged taxpayers $179,000 to sign off on golf cart contracts to Trump's Bedminster club so the president could play golf. Given so many presidents play golf, there was a question about why the USSS handed money over to Trump to rent the golf carts instead of purchasing them to be used in the future.

Read the full report.