This
week, President Donald Trump writes his members-only oceanfront
property deeper into American history books by meeting there with
visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping _ a move that could financially
benefit Trump.
No doubt Florida's
oceanfront Mar-a-Lago resort is an impressive site for a summit between
the presidents of the U.S. and China. And it's a pretty nice business
advertisement, too, for the owner of the luxurious, members-only private
property.
That would be Donald J. Trump.
Even before this week's summit, President Trump
and his aides had begun referring to Mar-a-Lago as the "Winter White
House," a marketing coup for a man who has made millions selling his
personal brand. Now the president is writing his property deeper into
American history books by meeting there with China's Xi Jinping.
The two-day summit, partly to discuss sensitive
trade issues, follows five previous weekend trips that Trump has made to
Mar-a-Lago in the 12 weeks he has been president. On his fourth weekend
in office, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe joined him there, and the
two heads of state huddled on the restaurant's patio before making
headlines with a televised joint response to a North Korean missile
test.
VIP visits to presidential homes are a tradition
dating to shortly before World War II, when Franklin D. Roosevelt began
inviting dignitaries to his Hyde Park estate north of New York City,
according to the U.S. State Department's historical website. More
recently, George H.W. Bush brought leaders to the family's
Kennebunkport, Maine, compound, and his son George W. Bush invited them
to his Crawford, Texas, ranch. President Barack Obama hosted Xi at
Sunnylands, an estate in the California desert formerly owned by late
philanthropists Walter and Leonore Annenberg.
But Mar-a-Lago isn't just a vacation home for
Trump. It's a for-profit part of his global real estate empire. That
makes "Winter White House" more than a charming phrase; it's good for
business.
Breaking with presidential precedent, Trump held onto ownership of his businesses when he took office, meaning he makes money when his properties do well. The resort doubled its membership fee to $200,000 after he was elected. And "Winter White House" is working its way into marketing materials. When Trump is in town, Mar-a-Lago's hotel rooms and restaurant reservations fill up fast.
Breaking with presidential precedent, Trump held onto ownership of his businesses when he took office, meaning he makes money when his properties do well. The resort doubled its membership fee to $200,000 after he was elected. And "Winter White House" is working its way into marketing materials. When Trump is in town, Mar-a-Lago's hotel rooms and restaurant reservations fill up fast.
Read more: "Winter White House' a Winning Brand for Trump's Business | Washington, DC News | US News
