All posts tagged "mar-a-lago"

Trump slammed by critics for pastime choice while Iran war rages on

Donald Trump has been grilled by political analysts for his choice of pastime while the war in Iran rages on.

The president approved a series of strikes on Iran earlier this month, joining Israel in a bombing run on the Middle Eastern country. Trump's contradictory messaging on the state of war and reasons for striking Iran has already inflamed his most dedicated supporters, but critics now believe the president is losing sight of how serious a situation it is.

A White House Pool report confirmed the president's motorcade had left his Mar-a-Lago resort and dropped Trump off at a golf course earlier this morning (March 28). The "out of town pool report" confirmed POTUS had "arrived at Trump International Golf Course at 9.02am."

Majority Democrats responded to the news, writing, "The Golf War." Fellow Trump critic Aaron Rupar added, "While the country is at war, Trump is golfing."

Trump's love of golf is no secret, with the president having played 88 rounds across 2025. Trump's 2025 golf outings cost taxpayers a cool $110.6 million, according to the Trump Golf Tracker, which monitors presidential motorcade sightings at his clubs. December and New Year's Day tacked on another $14 million to that tab.

If Trump continues on his pace, he’ll likely top former President Barack Obama's eight-year total of 333 rounds of golf in just his second term alone, the report said.

According to the Donald Trump Golf Tracker, the president has played golf a total of 101 times across the 433 days of his second term. An estimated cost of $141 million has been calculated by the team behind the golf tracker.

GOP leader tries to laugh off major Mar-a-Lago bruising — with claim that shuns evidence

A shock victory in a Florida election is being seen as a massive blow to the Republican Party ahead of the midterms — but a leading Republican is shrugging it off.

In fact, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives Steve Scalise bucked widely held beliefs — and claimed his party will be flipping seats in December.

Donald Trump's administration was dealt an embarrassing blow as the Democratic Party flipped the Florida state House seat that contains Mar-a-Lago Tuesday. Winning candidate Emily Gregory took the Florida District 87 state House seat with 51 percent to 49 percent, a margin of just over 750 votes.

Speaking to Raw Story about the reason for the swing to Democratic Party, Scalise suggested it was merely a case of low voter turnout. He said, "Now, special elections are always unique because they're very low turnout.

"You know, surely you look at those and see there are things we can learn and improve upon when the big election comes."

Scalise went on to suggest there had been less focus on the special election in Trump's backyard as the GOP had a larger stake in success at the midterm elections. He said, "And obviously, November is the election that we are focused on. We've still got primaries to go through in a lot of states. There are runoffs in Texas. There's always going to be elections, but the big election is going to be the November midterm.

"And we're laser-focused on that and not only holding the House, but the opportunity to grow our majority. We've got some real opportunities in a number of districts to actually flip more seats from Democrat to Republican, and that's our focus."

The Mar-a-Lago seat flip in the historically red seat shocked pundits, and CNN expert Harry Enten said it was likely a sign of things to come for the GOP.

"What is happening right now in Mar-a-Lago is unlikely to stay a Mar-a-Lago. It is likely to expand nationwide and to expand in the midterm elections as well," he said.

The Mar-a-Lago loss could precede the largest GOP midterm loss in 100 years, according to analysis from The Daily Beast. Martha McHardy wrote, "Historically, the largest House losses include Democrats losing 116 seats in 1894, Republicans losing 77 in 1922, and Democrats losing 72 in 1938, with other notable losses in 1974 and 2010.

"By comparison, the Democrats’ 41‑seat gain in 2018—the largest in 44 years—was still well below 70."

‘Flip the president’s home district’: Dems want to send Trump a personal message

President Donald Trump could take a political hit if Democrats flip a Republican House seat in his own backyard next week.

The special election in Florida District 87, which is home to Mar-a-Lago, could prove that Democrats can end the Florida GOP supermajority in the midterms this fall — returning the Sunshine State's "swing status," Politico reported. The potential victory for Democrats on March 24 would also follow a series of recent nationwide wins.

The long-anticipated race has Democrat Emily Gregory, a first-time candidate and small business owner who has focused on public health and mental health, facing off against Republican Jon Maples, a financial planner and former member of the Town Council in Lake Clarke Shores. The district includes the coastline along northern Palm Beach County.

The message for Trump is meant to be personal.

"Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said the state party was backing Gregory 'with everything we’ve got' and made the race a top priority by sending staff and volunteers to knock on doors, make calls and send texts to ensure voters 'flip the president’s home district,'" according to Politico.

Trump has endorsed Maples, but Democrats have zeroed in on support for Gregory, who sued to force Gov. Ron DeSantis to call the special election after delays.

The special election win could signal a significant moment for Democrats heading into November.

"In the district hosting Trump’s home and private club, the symbolism of a Democratic win could be overshadowed by a broader signal that Democrats have a chance to expand their midterm opportunities — across Florida’s gubernatorial and Senate races as well as nationwide," Politico reported.

‘Never sensed danger’: Friends ponder Mar-a-Lago gunman’s motive — and anger over Epstein

The young man who drove from North Carolina to south Florida and breached the perimeter of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort while armed with a shotgun and gas can, and was killed by law enforcement, was a quiet and sensitive community college student from a conservative background, those who knew him said.

“I never got weird energy from him,” one former classmate told Raw Story. “I never sensed any danger.”

But as the FBI attempts to establish what led Austin Tucker Martin to his death in the early hours of last Sunday, reports and social media posts by acquaintances reviewed by Raw Story suggest the 21-year-old was concerned about the ongoing publication of files related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his links to powerful people — including President Trump.

One former classmate said Martin “did what he did in retaliation for what’s being allowed in this government.”

‘Shooting position’

As in the cases of Thomas Matthew Crooks and Ryan Routh, would-be assassins who targeted Trump in 2024, attempts to establish Martin’s motive continue.

Crooks was shot dead after using an assault rifle to shoot at Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024, wounding the president’s ear. Routh, who that September lay in wait for Trump at one of his golf courses in West Palm Beach, Florida, was recently sentenced to life in prison.

In Martin’s case, the FBI investigation of his fatal arrival at Mar-a-Lago has included a tracing of the route the 21-year-old took to Florida, before allegedly driving through a gate at Trump’s resort at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Trump was not in residence at the time.

Encountering two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy, Martin raised the shotgun “to a shooting position,” investigators said.

In response to an inquiry from Raw Story, an FBI spokesperson declined to clarify whether the shotgun was loaded.

Investigators are also scrutinizing purchases and interactions with others, interviewing family and friends, and looking at social media, according to the FBI.

‘So shocking’

Around the time Martin showed up at Mar-a-Lago, a relative reportedly contacted the Moore County Sheriff’s Office to report him missing.

Moore County is renowned for its world-class golf courses and as a bedroom community for military veterans drawn to the area by nearby Fort Bragg.

Martin attended Sandhills Community College, where he was pursuing an associate degree in architectural engineering, a spokesperson confirmed to Raw Story. He had also worked at a local golf course.

Emma Witham, who graduated alongside Martin from Union Pines High School in 2023, recalled a classmate in her senior English class who was quiet and kind.

Based on a shared interest in art, Witham said, Martin asked for her social media usernames. The two exchanged messages on Snapchat, and Martin sent Witham comic-book style renderings of superheroes and rockets.

“I never got weird energy from him,” Witham told Raw Story. “I never sensed any danger. This was so shocking to me that something like this would happen so close to home.”

Although Witham said Martin didn’t speak about political beliefs, she told Raw Story she took him to be “probably a more conservative person, based on the area where we live. He was a Southern kid.”

Another former classmate, Keegan Platte, wrote in a Facebook post reviewed by Raw Story that Martin was a “heavily conservative Trump supporter” when he knew him as a freshman.

In the 2024 election, Moore County heavily favored Trump, giving him 64.1 percent of the vote compared to 34.7 percent to Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.

In 2022, Moore County was the site of an attack on two electrical substations resulting in a widespread power outage apparently timed to disrupt a drag show at a local theater. The event drew protests, with many opponents falsely accusing drag performers of “grooming” children.

The substation attack, which remains unsolved, was faulted for the death of an 87-year-old woman dependent on an oxygen machine.

‘Evil is real and unmistakable’

Martin appears to have been upset by recent revelations about Epstein and his links to powerful people including President Trump.

A shotgun and a gasoline canister, in a photograph released by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. PBSO/via REUTERS

According to a text message obtained by TMZ, Martin told a coworker: “I don’t know if you read up on the Epstein Files, but evil is real and unmistakable.

“The best people like you and I can do is use what little influence we have,” Martin wrote. “Tell other people about what you hear about the Epstein files and what the government is doing. Raise awareness.”

Platte wrote on Facebook that he believes his former classmate at Union Pines High School “did what he did in retaliation for what’s being allowed in this government.”

Platte also hailed Martin as a “soldier,” saying that he “went out a hero, in my book, even if he didn’t succeed in his mission.”

Epstein was once a frequent guest at Mar-a-Lago, and although he and Trump reportedly severed ties in mid-2000s, their close association has become a source of increasing vexation for the president and his administration.

While no evidence has emerged that Trump’s association with Epstein involved criminal wrongdoing on the president’s part, NPR recently found that the Department of Justice withheld some files referencing allegations that Trump abused a minor from its congressionally mandated release of materials related to the Epstein case.

Raw Story was unable to reach Martin’s family members. A voicemail message recorded by Christina Fields, Martin’s aunt, said, “Please respect our family’s privacy as we grieve the loss of a family member, and do not leave any media inquiries on this voicemail.”

‘In the back’

Martin’s digital footprint appears to be limited to a Facebook page displaying his meticulous pencil drawings.

He received a tour of the Golf Club at Quail Ridge in Sanford, N.C. from the head golf pro about a year ago, after requesting permission to draw the greens, Chuck Smith, a club owner, told Raw Story.

Martin offered to split proceeds from selling the drawings and three were displayed in the gift shop, Smith said.

Smith said that after he learned about Martin’s death at Mar-a-Lago, he took the drawings down and stashed them “in the back.”

Smith said Martin worked at a different golf course: Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines.

A person who answered the phone at the front desk there hung up when asked about Martin. The club’s general manager did not respond to an email.

Agents from the FBI Charlotte office have searched the residence where Martin lived with his parents in Cameron, N.C. The FBI also appears to have taken an interest in Sandhills Community College, where Martin was a student.

“Our sympathies go out to the student’s family and friends,” Jennifer Pearce, marketing and public relations director for the college, told Raw Story. “We’re cooperating with the FBI.”

Dems poised to flip Trump's own district in special Florida state election: report

A special election in President Donald Trump's own backyard could flip a Florida House district from Republican to Democratic.

The long-anticipated race has Democrat Emily Gregory facing off against Republican Jon Maples in the 87th District, the same district that includes Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, according to The Down Ballot. The district includes the coastline along northern Palm Beach County.

"The unusual race for this slice of the South Florida beachfront was both caused by and delayed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appointed state Rep. Mike Caruso as Palm Beach County clerk to fill a vacancy last August," The Down Ballot reported.

"DeSantis rewarded Caruso after a messy internecine fight in the legislature a year ago over legislation designed to turbocharge Trump’s deportation agenda that the governor supported. Lawmakers, unhappy at being bullied by DeSantis once again, responded by passing their own bill and unsubtly called it the TRUMP Act," according to The Down Ballot.

But when Caruso was the only Republican who voted against the bill, House Speaker Daniel Perez decided "to remove him as chair of a legislative subcommittee and even kick him out of the corner office he occupied."

But DeSantis didn't act after that.

"Sometimes, DeSantis has dragged his feet when doing so would deprive Democrats of representation in safely blue districts. On other occasions, he’s held off when Republicans might lose a seat of their own. Frequently, he’s only acted when forced by litigation," The Down Ballot reported.

And when DeSantis refused to call a special election to fill Caruso's vacancy, which DeSantis has done in the past, Gregory decided to challenge the governor.

"That’s exactly what happened here. Gregory, a first-time candidate who runs a fitness business serving pregnant and postpartum women, had launched a bid to take on Caruso in July, and like Democrats everywhere, she took particular aim at the issue of affordability," according to The Down Ballot.

She didn't want to wait anymore and was frustrated over the lack of representation, so she filed a lawsuit to compel DeSantis to set a date for a special election. Her complaint outlined that more than 45 days had passed since Caruso's appointment without any action.

The election could be an upset for the traditionally Republican-led district.

"That backdrop, combined with Trump’s deep unpopularity and strong Democratic performances in special elections nationwide, is fueling Gregory’s hopes of defeating Maples, a financial planner and former member of the Town Council in Lake Clarke Shores," The Down Ballot reported.

Jack Smith gets warning GOP has set a trap

A legal expert Thursday revealed how former Special Counsel Jack Smith's testimony on his investigations into President Donald Trump could open him up to perjury charges.

CNN senior justice correspondent Evan Perez described why Smith was pausing before answering each question during his first public testimony with the House Judiciary Committee.

"There's a perjury trap over this entire hearing," Perez said. "They are watching every single word, and he is, I think he is weighing every single word. He cannot diverge from his previous testimony, he did a deposition in December, and I think he's trying to be careful and that's what you're seeing, the tentativeness at the beginning. It's pretty clear he's comfortable with what he did and he still believes that he would do it again."

Smith was speaking on his decision to prosecute Trump on a series of federal crimes in 2023. He wasted no time declaring that Trump "broke the law" at a congressional hearing Thursday.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), chair of the committee, delivered a scathing opening statement, accusing Smith of acting under "politics" and complaining about “stolen phone records."

“We’re going to hear a lot of yelling and screaming from the other side," Jordan claimed before the testimony.

Smith, a career federal prosecutor, was appointed as a special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022 to investigate Trump's handling of classified documents and his role in the events surrounding the Insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

Smith led high-profile criminal investigations and prosecutions against Trump on multiple counts, including obstruction of justice and violations of the Espionage Act related to classified materials at Mar-a-Lago, though the cases faced significant legal challenges and delays, with Trump ultimately avoiding trial on these charges following his 2024 election victory.

Legal expert intrigued as Trump 'sounds pretty desperate' to bury Jack Smith's report

A former prosecutor reflected on President Donald Trump's first year in office and what he has attempted to hide.

Joyce Vance argued that it's time for the public to have more information about the Jeffrey Epstein files and the Mar-a-Lago case in her Substack Wednesday.

Trump has called on Florida federal Judge Aileen Cannon to block the Department of Justice report from special counsel Jack Smith and has acted in his "individual capacity" by filing a motion for Cannon to issue “an order prohibiting the release of Volume II of the Final Report prepared by so-called ‘Special Counsel’ Jack Smith and his office,” Vance wrote.

Vance pointed out that it sounds like Trump's own voice, using the term "so-called 'Special Counsel' Jack Smith," and said it was a move that attorneys should not allow their client to direct or even do.

"But apparently, Trump’s lawyer thinks she can get away with that, given who the judge is," Vance added.

The move from Trump and his legal team has revealed where the president's mindset falls.

"The bottom line is that Trump sounds pretty desperate to keep the special counsel’s report on the Mar-a-Lago indictment out of the hands of the public," Vance wrote. "'Release would also lead to the public dissemination of sensitive grand jury materials, attorney-client privileged information, and other information derived from protected discovery materials, raising significant statutory, due process, and privacy concerns for President Trump and his former co-defendants.'”

"It’s a consistent theme with this President. There is so much to hide, so much to keep out of the public domain. Like the Epstein Files. Like the Mar-a-Lago case," Vance wrote.

Vance urged Congress "to push full throttle to enforce the Transparency Act it passed," and argued that Trump has tried to conceal something.

"There should be calls every day for release of Epstein-related materials with reminders that DOJ is ignoring the law and that there is too much information pointing to the connection between Epstein and Trump to ignore," Vance wrote. "The fact that Trump is hoping to Venezuela and Greenland his way out of that quagmire suggests how important it is for us to continue to pursue the truth."

Vance explained that it's likely that it would ultimately be up to the legal system.

"When it comes to Mar-a-Lago, the government is almost certain to go belly up on making the special counsel report public out of deference to Trump," Vance wrote. "But it should be possible for other parties to pursue the matter in court. While any request is likely to fall on deaf ears before Judge Cannon, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has been a less friendly venue for the President. Special Counsel reports are routinely released at the end of the investigation, and particularly here, where an indictment was dismissed, not because it was found wanting, but because Trump was elected a second time, the public has a right to know."

Trump filing 'infused with disdain' seeks to keep Jack Smith's final report secret

President Donald Trump wants to keep former special counsel Jack Smith’s final report classified, according to a new court filing Tuesday.

In the filing from his personal lawyer, the president told U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon — a judge he appointed and his first direct request of her — to continue an extension on an 11-month order to block the Justice Department from sharing the report, Politico reported.

Smith submitted it just before Trump's second inauguration and reportedly tells the story of the criminal case against the president after he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home, including in a bathroom.

"Trump’s request is a break from the Justice Department’s handling of all special counsel reports in recent decades. Typically, those reports are provided to Congress and made public, even when they have included damaging findings about the incumbent administration. DOJ released another report Smith compiled detailing his findings about Trump’s bid to subvert the 2020 election shortly before President Joe Biden left office," according to Politico.

"The filing is infused with the typical disdain Trump has expressed for his former prosecutors, labeling Smith a 'so-called special counsel' and saying the case was 'marred by numerous deficiencies and repeated abuses of office,'" the outlet reported.

Trump's Mar-a-Lago neighbors fume over 'thunderous' plane noise

As of October, the U.S. Secret Service designated President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, as a no-fly zone, forcing aircraft to divert around it even when he is not visiting. Speaking with the Washington Post , residents of the area planes must now fly over fumed over the noise and soot left behind.

As required by the no-fly zone, a significant number of lanes are now routed over the El Cid neighborhood, a few blocks north of Trump's resort. However, it's not just the noise from these planes leaving or arriving at Palm Beach International Airport causing a stir, as some area officials highlighted the abruptness with which the policy was put in place.

“There was no lead-up to this,” Nancy Pullum, chair of the Citizens’ Committee on Airport Noise, said. “It just happened. Literally nobody knew. The flight traffic controllers didn’t know. The airport, they didn’t know. Palm Beach County didn’t know.

“It’s thundering,” Pullum added. “It’s as if they’re accelerating when they’re right over me. You go take your trash out to your garbage can, and you realize there’s a plane right over your head, and you can see the belly of it.”

“We want to do everything to make sure we protect our president, and we understand that when he’s there, this is what needs to happen,” Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg Weiss told the Post. “But when he’s not there, why? What’s the concern at that point?”

The Secret Service declined to go into much detail about the decision when pressed for comment by the Post.

“In order to ensure the highest levels of safety and security for the President, the U.S. Secret Service requested the FAA institute additional temporary flight restrictions over Mar-a-Lago,” a Secret Service spokesman said in a written statement. “We recognize that these changes could have an impact on the public and appreciate the Palm Beach community’s understanding as we work to keep the President safe.”

Since acquiring the Mar-a-Lago property in 1985, Trump has sued the county and the airport over plane noise. The first two cases were dismissed, as was the third, but only after he was elected president in 2016. This meant air traffic was diverted from over the resort, but unlike the present situation, it was only when he was visiting.

The current setup is set to remain in effect until at least October of next year.

'It could be forever': Florida residents 'blindsided' by Trump move wreaking havoc on them

Florida residents have been left "blindsided" by a no-fly zone update around Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.

Though there had been a no-fly zone in place for when Trump was in the residency, the restrictions to air travel are now in place permanently, at least until next October. Officials say the no-fly zone, which now operates 24/7 whether the president is there or not, has caused an increase in noise and soot at residents' homes.

Palm Beach International Airport has been told they must divert flights away from Mar-a-Lago permanently, with the neighborhood in uproar over the effect it's having on their day to day lives. Lori Rozsa of The Washington Post wrote that residents had been "blindsided" by the change, which is to remain in place even when the resort is closed.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg Weiss said, "We want to do everything to make sure we protect our president, and we understand that when he’s there, this is what needs to happen. But when he’s not there, why? What’s the concern at that point?"

The flight pattern change is something Trump has sought for his Mar-a-Lago residence for decades. He filed three lawsuits against the county and airport over airplane noise before he was president.

His first lawsuit was brought against the county and airport in 1995, and dismissed in 1996. A second lawsuit was dismissed in 2010, and Trump sued for a third time in 2015. Trump argued that the house had been damaged by the airplanes, saying, "I am saving one of the great houses of this country and one of its greatest landmarks, and it's being badly damaged by the airplanes."

Now Trump has his way, at least until October next year, but residents believe it's a flight pattern change that could be permanent. One person said, "This is an opportunity for him to seize what he’s really wanted to do for a very long time. This could be stretched for three years. It could be forever."

Other residents believe the historic claim to Mar-a-Lago should apply to other residences in the area now affected by the change in flight patterns.

Margie Yansura said, "Donald Trump says that his house is on the National Register of Historic Places. Well, my house is on the National Register of Historic Places. We’ve lived here for 45 years, and we’ve fought hard to save this historic neighborhood. I’m retired. I would like to sleep in, but I can’t past 6 a.m., and it goes on until 11 at night."

Real estate agent Don Todorich also said homeowners had "paid more money not to be in the flight path" of traffic coming and going from Palm Beach International Airport.