Trump wants to turn Florida golf club into Camp David-style retreat

The White House said Wednesday that Donald Trump wants to convert his luxury Florida golf course into a presidential retreat modelled on Camp David. The proposed site is the Trump International Club in West Palm Beach, where Trump often spends weekends on the fairway. The plan would make the club an official sanctuary for future US presidents and provide a setting for important meetings.

A White House official said the United States government had asked to examine the proposal so future presidents could “hold important meetings and utilise the amenities of a world-class property”. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.

Site linked to 2024 assassination attempt

The proposed retreat is also the course where gunman Ryan Routh was convicted of trying to assassinate Trump in September 2024, when Trump was the then-presidential candidate. The White House official stressed the security at Trump’s course.

That security emphasis is part of the explanation for considering the property as a presidential retreat. The proposed arrangement would make the site available to Trump’s successors, rather than only to Trump, as an official presidential getaway. It would be modelled on the historic Camp David retreat.

The White House described the property as a potential venue where future presidents could hold important meetings while using the amenities of the golf course. The site’s connection to the 2024 assassination attempt means the proposal also places renewed attention on security at the Florida club.

Source: South China Morning Post