Trump headed to Mar-a-Lago, then Daytona 500 this weekend
(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump is set to be at his Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, before going to the Daytona 500 this Sunday.
Local television station WPEC writes that the president has returned to Florida every weekend since his inauguration when he initially stayed in Washington.
Last week, he was there before heading to New Orleans to watch the Super Bowl.
Jack the Ripper's identity revealed after DNA match, historian says
Some of the president's key staff can usually be seen on board the helicopter to Joint Base Andrews as he makes his way to Florida. His last departure included White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, communications director Steven Cheung and adviser James Blair, among others.
Trump made many visits to Mar-a-Lago during his first term as well. As the Palm Beach Post notes, 'Mar-a-Lago became known as the 'Southern White House' or the 'Winter White House' because of his frequent trips there.'
After he won election to his second term in November, The Associated Press reported that Trump spent most of his first week as president-elect at Mar-a-Lago, where he worked the phones, reconnected with foreign leaders and built his new administration.
Often, he was surrounded by advisers, friends and paying members of the club, the AP wrote, including Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO who now leads the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
NewsNation reached out to the White House for comment.
Area 51 veterans getting cancer as DOD denies they were there
Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, often traveled over the weekends as well. The Wall Street Journal last February reported that the former president made many trips to his home state of Delaware. During Biden's first three years in office, he spent all or part of 254 days there, former CBS News reporter Mark Knoller told the WSJ. Between weekend travel, vacations and trips to Camp David combined, Biden spent all or part of 408 days away from the White House in three years, Knoller said.
Then-White House spokeswoman Olivia Dalton told the WSJ at the time that spending time on weekends with his family and community remained an 'important part' of Biden's life.
On these trips with Biden would be White House staff and national security aides to give him updates on developing issues.
'As those around him know, this president is also constantly working no matter where he is—whether he's at the White House, in Delaware, or traveling around the country,' Dalton said to the WSJ.
Trump, meanwhile, spent all or part of 259 days at his Florida and New Jersey properties during the first three years of his first term, Koller, who compiles data on presidential travel, said.
When he was president, George W. Bush would often go to his Crawford, Texas ranch. Knoller, in 2005, said in an interview with NPR that although Bush was on a trip, 'It's really unfair to call it time off.'
'The president is really never able to take a vacation from his job,' Knoller said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
17 minutes ago
- CNN
See moment Trump criticized Musk in Oval Office
See moment Trump criticized Musk in Oval Office President Trump said he was 'very disappointed' with Elon Musk, as the tech billionaire and former adviser continues to blast Trump's massive tax and spending cuts package. The bill is estimated to add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. Musk responded on X in real-time saying that he never saw the bill before it passed and said the elimination of America's electric vehicle tax incentives has nothing to do with his opposition to Trump's bill. 01:15 - Source: CNN Vertical Politics of the Day 16 videos See moment Trump criticized Musk in Oval Office President Trump said he was 'very disappointed' with Elon Musk, as the tech billionaire and former adviser continues to blast Trump's massive tax and spending cuts package. The bill is estimated to add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. Musk responded on X in real-time saying that he never saw the bill before it passed and said the elimination of America's electric vehicle tax incentives has nothing to do with his opposition to Trump's bill. 01:15 - Source: CNN Curtis Yarvin is inspiring a new generation of MAGA CNN's Hadas Gold interviews anti-democracy author Curtis Yarvin about his argument for an all-powerful executive in the White House. 02:24 - Source: CNN DNC Trolls Trump with Taco Truck The Democratic National Committee parked a taco truck outside the RNC headquarters in Washington DC Tuesday, as a way to troll the president over an acronym created by a Financial Times commentator about the president's frequent walk backs and pauses to his tariff's. 00:52 - Source: CNN Musk calls Trump's bill 'disgusting abomination' Elon Musk lashed out at President Donald Trump's agenda bill — which the president is pressuring GOP senators to support — calling it a 'disgusting abomination.' CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports. 00:59 - Source: CNN ICE chief defends agents wearing masks during immigration raids Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons is defending federal immigration agents for wearing masks during raids across the US, citing safety concerns. The tactic has sparked backlash and raised questions about transparency and accountability. 00:58 - Source: CNN Dana Bash presses Trump's budget chief about cancer cuts CNN's Dana Bash presses Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought on the Trump administration's proposal to cut non-defense spending by more than 22% — including deep reductions to education, food assistance, and billions in cancer research funding. As Vought defends the cuts and criticizes the NIH, Bash challenges him on the real-world impact to life-saving medical research. 01:35 - Source: CNN Trump reacts to video of Macron's apparent shove from wife President Trump was asked by reporters about the viral video appearing to show French President Emmanuel Macron being pushed by his wife Brigitte as they disembarked from a plane in Vietnam. Macron, at the time, quickly dismissed the video. 00:34 - Source: CNN Trans high school athlete wins events amid controversy A transgender athlete, whose participation sparked a national controversy and a temporary rule change, took first place in two of her three events in the California High School Track and Field Championship. 01:09 - Source: CNN South Carolina voter says 'no' to moving center South Carolina has often bucked the electoral trend – voting for candidates who lost in Iowa or New Hampshire and thus helping pick which candidate will move on to the general election. CNN's Jeff Simon spoke to multiple voters at a Democrat dinner in Columbia, South Carolina about the party's leadership and future. 01:25 - Source: CNN Hegseth warns 'threat China poses is real' US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking to Asia's premier defense forum in Singapore, delivered a dire warning to the world: China's designs on Taiwan pose a threat to global peace and stability that requires 'our allies and partners do their part on defense.' While Hegseth made clear that Washington does not seek conflict with China, he stressed the Trump administration would not let aggression from Beijing stand. 00:50 - Source: CNN GOP senator pressed on Medicaid in heated town hall GOP Sen. Joni Ernst faced concerns from town hall attendees over potential cuts to Medicaid and SNAP programs as a result of President Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill, saying at one point, 'Well, we all are going to die,' and insisting that those who are eligible for Medicaid will continue to receive payments. 01:12 - Source: CNN Fareed Zakaria breaks down Trump's tariff battle CNN's Fareed Zakaria breaks down what's going on with President Donald Trump's battle with the Supreme Court over tariffs. 00:58 - Source: CNN President Trump's timeline for things seems to almost always be 'in two weeks' President Donald Trump told reporters it will take about 'two weeks' to determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the war in Ukraine. That two week timeline, CNN's Abby Phillip says, is a familiar one. 01:48 - Source: CNN President Trump is on a pardoning spree President Donald Trump used his pardon power to grant clemency to a wave of individuals who had been convicted of crimes that range from public corruption, guns and even maritime-related offenses, according to multiple officials. CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports. 00:53 - Source: CNN Trump responds to Wall Street term 'TACO': Trump Always Chickens Out President Donald Trump was asked about "TACO," an acronym that means "Trump Always Chickens Out," which is used by Wall Street workers for his on-and-off approach to tariffs. Calling it "the nastiest question," Trump defended his tariff policy by calling it "negotiation." 01:13 - Source: CNN Harvard students and faculty speak out against Trump Harvard students and faculty spoke to CNN ahead of commencement as Donald Trump said the university should cap foreign enrollment. The Trump administration has recently sought to cancel $100 million in contracts with the school. 02:03 - Source: CNN
New York Post
21 minutes ago
- New York Post
How Trump special envoy's move to bring Tate brothers to US caught president unaware
WASHINGTON — White House special envoy Ric Grenell caught President Trump off-guard when he advocated for the notorious Tate brothers to travel to Florida while awaiting trial in Romania earlier this year, leaving administration insiders frustrated and questioning Grenell's motives. In mid-February, Grenell, 58, approached Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference and convinced him to release accused sex traffickers Andrew and Tristan Tate into US custody as they await trial on charges including rape and human trafficking in eastern Europe — without notifying anyone else in the administration, according to multiple sources and Hurezeanu's own admission. 'We learned about the Tate brothers after the fact,' a high-ranking White House source told The Post last week. Advertisement Grenell's actions — both in the matter of the Tates and in other delicate situations — exemplify the problems raised by special envoys, who play roles similar to ambassadors and assistant secretaries of state but often do so without the obligation to obey a formal chain of command and while carrying added responsibility as the president's personal representative. 'This was yet another example of Grenell going outside the chain of command to pursue his own goals, rather than the president's,' a source close the the White House familiar with discussions told The Post. 3 President Trump (right) walks with special envoy and interim Kennedy Center executive director Ric Grenell March 17. AP Advertisement On Feb. 27, 11 days after the Munich conference wrapped, the Tates, who were born in the US, touched down in Fort Lauderdale on a private jet. The same day, Trump hosted British Prime Minister Kier Starmer and was asked whether the president's administration had 'pressured' Romania to hand over the accused sexual predators. 'I don't know. You're saying he's on a plane right now?' a visibly confused Trump asked. 'I just know nothing about it. We'll check it out, we'll let you know.' Shortly after, when Starmer spoke about the brothers facing investigation in the United Kingdom, the president said to him, perplexed: 'You're aware? You're aware of this? I didn't know anything about it.' Risky game Advertisement While much of the media scorned Trump's comments, White House officials confirmed the president's surprise and bewilderment — and rounded on Grenell for putting the commander in chief in a tight spot. 'President Trump is on recording saying he know nothing about the Tate brothers' flight to Florida, so why did Ric Grenell even raise the issue with a Romanian official?' a source close the the White House familiar with discussions told The Post. 3 Andrew Tate, left, and his brother Tristan outside a Romanian police station May 21. AP The Tates' release caused bipartisan blowback — with big GOP names like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) as well as conservative media personalities Ben Shapiro and Megyn Kelly speaking out against the White House. Advertisement It also sparked a congressional inquiry by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who penned a letter asking the State Department to what extent the US government was involved in Romanian officials' decision to release the brothers. Almost immediately after the letter — which cc'd Grenell — was sent to the State Department, the envoy called to 'berate' a Raskin staffer, saying 'you're going to ruin my reputation,' according to a person familiar with the conversation. The interaction was first reported in early April by NOTUS. 'The State Department has failed to answer the Committee's questions and address our concerns,' the person said. 'All we have received was a short, non-substantive response from the State Department more than a month after the letter was sent.' While the blowback over the release has died down, the question that has puzzled Grenell's critics remains: Why risk the administration's credibility on Andrew and Tristan Tate? Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence, has been open about his support for the Tate brothers, whose followers among the far-right include longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone and Paul Ingrassia, the newly appointed head of the Office of Special Counsel. Andrew Tate has similarly expressed support for Grenell, tweeting the day before his release from Romania that the envoy is helping Trump 'sav(e) America along with the entire western world by extension.' Grenell also has extensive experience in eastern and southeastern Europe, dating back to at least his role facilitating peace talks between Serbia and Kosovo during Trump's first term. 'Was this motivated by a personal, political or business interest, or is he just a Tate Brothers fanboy?' asked a former friend of Grenell's. 'Either is a massive red flag.' Advertisement In a comment to the Financial Times in February, Grenell acknowledged his support for the Tates, 'as evident by my publicly available tweets' But he has since scrubbed all posts about the brothers, including a retweet of Stone crediting Grenell for 'securing the release of the Tates.' However, a Grenell associate says he kept up ties with the Tates even after their return, sitting ringside when the brothers made an appearance at the UFC 313 card in Las Vegas on March 8. 'Not Ric's job to make sure State knows' Since the Tate fiasco, Grenell has continued to ruffle feathers in his various roles, sounding a rare discordant note in an administration whose key players seem to be mainly on the same page. Advertisement 'It's like Festivus inside the White House, and the airing of the grievances is heavy on Grenell,' said one source close to President Trump, referencing an episode of the classic sitcom 'Seinfeld.' Last month, Grenell — in an apparent attempt to apply lessons from the Tate incident — briefly mentioned to Trump that he had reached a deal with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro to return an American detainee, but left key White House and State Department officials without any clue of his foreign dealings, according to senior administration officials. 'State Department was intentionally left in the dark, as was Rubio,' confirmed Tactic Global lobbyist Caroline Wren, who told The Post she helps Grenell with his public relations and worked on the Venezuela initiative with him. 'It's not Ric's job to make sure State knows.' Advertisement 3 Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro speaks to Iranian officials in Caracas last month. via REUTERS Wren did not elaborate on why the department was left out of the loop, but Grenell had asked Maduro to free Air Force veteran Joe St. Clair as a sign that the dictator was willing to work with the Trump administration, multiple sources say. In return, Grenell suggested to Maduro that Trump would extend Chevron's license to import Venezuelan oil — but that was news to the administration, which has consistently supported the president's desire to expire the license May 27, according to senior officials. Some far-right influencers — such as firebrand Laura Loomer and many of Grenell's closest associates, including Wren — say the license should be extended to block China from cornering the Venezuelan oil market. Advertisement When The Post contacted Grenell May 15 to ask whether he was holding discussions with Caracas about extending the Chevron license, Grenell directed another lobbyist — former Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) — to contact The Post to push the China angle. Schock, who according to Wren also helps Grenell with PR, also consults for South Florida oil magnate Harry Sargeant, whose license to operate his oil-trading company in Venezuela was canceled by Trump's anti-Maduro policy, a former friend of Sargeant's told The Post. Schock did not reply to a request for comment on his association with Sargeant, whom Wren called a 'good friend' she 'talks to all the time.' Sargeant, however, denied that Schock or Grenell were advocating on his behalf. On a more ominous note, law enforcement sources say Grenell's deal with Maduro to return a single detainee could encourage Caracas officials to direct the Tren de Aragua cartel to kidnap more Americans for use as bargaining chips to reduce US sanctions. The FBI has said that the Venezuelan dictator controls the brutal cartel recently listed as a foreign terrorist organization. The same day the Chevron oil license expired, the State Department issued a stark travel warning to Americans, urging them not to visit Venezuela due to risk of wrongful detention, torture, kidnapping and crime. Closer to home, Grenell — who is also president and interim executive director of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — caused another firestorm when he dismissed center vice president Floyd Brown May 28 after Brown refused to disown comments promoting 'traditional marriage' and criticizing the influence of gay staffers in the Republican party. 'The only explanation is the one given to me at the time of my firing: 'Floyd, you must recant your belief in traditional marriage and your past statements on the topic, or you will be fired,'' Brown posted to X May 29. 'Needless to say, I refused to recant and was shown the door. My beliefs are much more common to Biblical Christianity.' As multiple sources pointed out, the firing appeared to run counter to Trump's main reason for appointing Grenell, who is openly gay, in the first place: To rid the DC venue of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. 'From being rebuked on the Chevron license, to his connection to the Tate Brothers, to allegations of firing a Kennedy staffer over Christian beliefs, Ric Grenell keeps finding new and creative ways to embarrass himself and those around him,' a source close the the White House familiar with the situation said. The State Department, Romanian Foreign Ministry, Schock, Grenell and an attorney for the Tates did not respond to requests for comment.
New York Post
22 minutes ago
- New York Post
OpenAI finds more Chinese bad actors using ChatGPT for malicious purposes
Chinese bad actors are using ChatGPT for malicious purposes – generating social media posts to sow political division across the US and seeking information on military technology, OpenAI said. An organized China-linked operation, in one such incident dubbed 'Uncle Spam,' used ChatGPT to generate social media posts that were supportive and critical of contentious topics related to US politics – and then posted both versions of the comments from separate accounts, the company said in a report released Thursday. 'This appears likely designed to exploit existing political divisions rather than to promote a specific ideological stance,' OpenAI wrote in the report, describing what is known as an influence operation. Advertisement 3 A growing number of Chinese bad actors are using ChatGPT for malicious purposes, OpenAI said. REUTERS OpenAI said it followed Meta's lead to disrupt this operation, after the social media conglomerate discovered the actors were posting at hours through the day consistent with a work day in China. The actors also used ChatGPT to make logos for their social media accounts that supported fake organizations – mainly creating personas of US veterans critical of President Trump, like a so-called 'Veterans For Justice' group. These users also tried to request code from ChatGPT that they could use to extract personal data from social media platforms like X and Bluesky, OpenAI said. Advertisement While the number of these operations has jumped, they had relatively little impact as these social media accounts typically had small followings, OpenAI said. Another group of likely Chinese actors used ChatGPT to create polarizing comments on topics like USAID funding cuts and tariffs, which were then posted across social media sites. In the comments of a TikTok video about USAID funding cuts, one of these accounts wrote: 'Our goodwill was exploited. So disappointing.' Advertisement 3 Another group of likely Chinese actors used ChatGPT to create polarizing comments on topics like USAID funding cuts and tariffs. REUTERS Another post on X took the opposite stance: '$7.9M allocated to teach Sri Lankan journalists to avoid binary-gender language. Is this the best use of development funds?' These actors made posts on X appearing to justify USAID cuts as a means of offsetting the tariffs. 'Tariffs make imported goods outrageously expensive, yet the government splurges on overseas aid. Who's supposed to keep eating?' one post said. Advertisement Another read: 'Tariffs are choking us, yet the government is spending money to 'fund' foreign politics.' 3 The operations used ChatGPT to write divisive comments on some of the Trump administration's policies, including USAID funding cuts and tariffs. AFP via Getty Images In another China-linked operation, users posed as professionals based in Europe or Turkey working for nonexistent European news outlets. They engaged with journalists and analysts on social media platforms like X, and offered money in exchange for information on the US economy and classified documents, all while using ChatGPT to translate their requests. OpenAI said it also banned ChatGPT accounts associated with several bad actors who have been publicly linked to the People's Republic of China. These accounts asked ChatGPT for help with software development and for research into US military networks and government technology. OpenAI regularly releases reports on malicious activity across its platform, including reports on fake content for websites and social media platforms and attempts to create damaging malware.
