'At least pick up the tab!' Trump Scotland trip slammed as tax-funded golf marketing ploy

While President Donald Trump’s five-day trip to Scotland that began Friday was described by the White House as a “working visit,” he’s expected to stop by two of his own golf resorts, something critics have characterized as a mere marketing campaign.

And American taxpayers are footing the bill to the tune of $10 million.

“He’s using the presidency to market his golf courses,” said Richard Painter, former chief White House ethics lawyer under the George W. Bush administration, speaking with the HuffPost. “At the taxpayer’s expense, he’s promoting himself.”

A HuffPost analysis of the trip’s expenses published Friday estimates the cost to be nearly $10 million, though HuffPost White House Correspondent S.V. Date writes that the estimation is extremely conservative, with the actual total “almost certainly substantially higher."

As of this year, Trump owns 17 golf resorts and clubs around the world, all operating under separate corporate entities owned by the Trump Organization. Since his first term, he’s made dozens of trips both domestically and internationally that include at least one round of golf at his resorts and clubs.

“We’ve reached a point where the Oval Office is an extension of the Trump Organization, and American taxpayers are footing the bill,” said Jordan Libowitz of the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, speaking with the HuffPost.

“A president should not be spending time trying to make money in a foreign country while in office, but if they do, at the very least they could pick up the tab for their business trips.”

Trump’s Scotland visit would also increase taxpayer expenditures for trips that include a round of golf at Trump clubs to at least $204 million, including a $152 million tab during his first term, S.V. Date wrote.

“Trump’s visit is not in service to the American people or to the office of the president,” said Norm Eisen, former special counsel for ethics and government reform under former President Barack Obama. “It only serves his own personal business interests.”

Trump is scheduled to meet with the British prime minister and other officials during the trip.