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President Donald Trump said on October 7 that he supports developing part of his private Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a presidential retreat for future administrations and visiting foreign leaders. The proposal, which he compared to Camp David, would place a government-facing facility on property owned by the Trump family’s business while Trump remains president.
The idea has moved beyond a public suggestion: a lawyer for the golf club submitted it to Palm Beach County commissioners in September, and a White House official said the federal government had asked to look into development. But the plan is still at an exploratory stage. The site, cost, federal arrangements and any construction timetable have not been settled publicly.
A proposal for future presidents
Trump endorsed the concept while speaking to reporters at the White House, saying it would be used by future presidents and that he was willing to proceed. He cited the course’s proximity to the airport and the absence of tall buildings and nearby homes as advantages for presidential security. Trump said the idea had been suggested by military and Secret Service officials, though the agencies had not publicly confirmed that account.
A White House official said the government had asked to examine developing a retreat at the club so future presidents could hold meetings and use the property’s facilities. The official did not provide details about the review, identify which agencies were involved or describe what decisions would be required before construction could begin.
The concept is broader than a private weekend getaway. In a September 3 letter to county commissioners, club lawyer Harvey Oyer offered to designate the property as a U.S. Presidential Golf Course for presidents and visiting heads of state. The letter proposed access to club facilities without cost to the federal government and cooperation with the General Services Administration and Secret Service on presidential lodging.
County land and approval questions
The Trump family owns the golf club, but the property sits on land leased from Palm Beach County. That makes county approval a central part of the proposal, alongside any federal review. The lease and the potential lodging site are among the issues local officials have said require further discussion.
Palm Beach County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo said officials were eager to explore what he described as a historic opportunity. Some commissioners have expressed initial interest, including Maria Sachs, who said the project could bring international leaders to the region. Other county officials have emphasized that enthusiasm does not amount to approval.
Commissioner Joel Flores said he wanted assurances that the project would not impose costs on the county and raised the possibility that a permanent retreat could affect flight patterns. Commissioner Gregg Weiss said more information was needed on the lease and other details. County staff had been directed to begin exploring the offer, but the county commission would decide whether it could move forward.
Who pays, and what would be built?
Oyer told the Palm Beach Post that Trump International would pay for construction and describe the facility as a gift to the country and county residents. The attorney also said details remained sketchy because federal agencies would need to be consulted, and no cost estimate or precise location for lodging had been determined.
The White House had not disclosed the cost or who would ultimately bear it. Nor had officials spelled out how ownership, maintenance, security operations or the relationship between the presidential facility and the private club would work. The proposed no-cost access to existing club facilities is distinct from the unanswered questions about building and operating presidential lodging.
Oyer told the newspaper that the facility was unlikely to be completed before Trump leaves office and that the club would remain under the control of the Trump Organization. That makes the proposal a potential long-term arrangement involving a sitting president’s business interests and a facility intended for successors. The available public statements do not specify how future administrations would be able—or required—to use it.
Camp David comparison and security history
Camp David, in Maryland, has served as a presidential retreat and a venue for meetings with foreign leaders since World War II. The White House describes it as a place for presidential solitude and diplomacy. The Florida proposal would provide another retreat option, but a golf club owned by a president’s business is a different setting and raises questions about public oversight and the terms governing access.
Security is also a specific part of the discussion. Trump pointed to the property’s surroundings and airport access as reasons he considered it suitable. The West Palm Beach golf course was also the site of a foiled assassination attempt in September 2024, when a Secret Service agent spotted an armed man near the course perimeter while Trump was playing. The man was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
Next steps remain unsettled
The immediate next step is further exploration by county staff and discussion with the relevant federal agencies. No construction schedule, formal federal commitment or final county decision has been announced. The Secret Service and Defense Department did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on October 7.
For now, Trump’s backing and the White House’s confirmation of an exploratory review give the proposal political momentum, not final approval. County commissioners have yet to resolve the land-use, lease, flight-pattern and cost questions, while federal officials have not publicly detailed what a permanent presidential retreat would require. Those decisions will determine whether the plan advances from an offer by Trump’s club into a government facility.
