Trump proposes turning his Florida golf club into a Camp David-style retreat

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he wants to develop one of his Florida golf courses into a Camp David-style presidential retreat where his successors could spend quiet weekends, according to NPR, the Associated Press, ABC News, the Washington Times and Arab News. Trump described the idea as "sort of a Camp David" that would already have many of the security features needed to host presidents and world leaders, the Associated Press and the Washington Times reported. The Washington Post reported Trump called the plan "a great idea."

The proposal centers on Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, which the Trump family owns but which sits on land leased from Palm Beach County, according to The New Republic. A September 3 letter to Palm Beach County commissioners from attorney Harvey Oyer, representing the property, proposed designating the club a "permanent United States Presidential Golf Course" that could be used "by all past, current and future" presidents, NBC News reported. The Washington Examiner similarly reported the proposal calls for a portion of the club to be designated a permanent presidential retreat with lodging for foreign officials. The New Republic reported that Oyer's letter said Trump would "provide access to all" club facilities at "no cost to the federal government."

Oyer wrote that "just as Camp David, Windsor Castle, or the Elysee Palace are known worldwide, so too will the Presidential Golf Course in Palm Beach County," according to The New Republic. The New Republic also reported that the Palm Beach Post first reported on the plan last month, and that The Washington Post reported Wednesday the proposal has progressed, with the county seriously considering it. The New Republic noted Trump has previously called the actual Camp David undesirable, saying in 2017 he could only enjoy it "for about 30 minutes."

CBS News, which described the pitch as being for "Trump International Golf Course," reported it remains unclear what taxpayer benefit the project would provide or how much it would cost. BBC News described the proposed Florida retreat as standing in contrast to the "rustic" character of Camp David and said it would mark another tradition transformed by Trump. The Straits Times framed the proposal as part of a broader pattern of Trump efforts to use his name to memorialize his legacy. The Telegraph reported the plan as one to turn "Mar-a-Lago" into an official presidential retreat, differing from other outlets that identified the site as the separate Trump International Golf Club.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel criticized the plan, saying, "What is with all these projects? Not one of them is finished," according to The New York Times, a single-source claim among the outlets reviewed.

How the coverage differed

Left-leaning outlets, including NPR, the Associated Press and ABC News, largely used straightforward wire-style framing describing the proposal and its Camp David comparison, while The New York Times stood out by leading with Jimmy Kimmel's comedic criticism rather than the policy details. The New Republic, also left-leaning, provided the most extensive sourcing, detailing the September 3 letter, the Palm Beach Post's earlier reporting and Trump's past comments calling Camp David undesirable. NBC News uniquely emphasized the "permanent United States Presidential Golf Course" designation language.

Center outlets such as the BBC and the Straits Times added interpretive framing, with the BBC contrasting the proposed Florida estate with the "rustic" Camp David and the Straits Times situating the plan within a broader pattern of Trump branding efforts. The Hill, also centrist, focused on the attorney's letter and the proposed designation, closely tracking details also found in the Washington Examiner on the right.

Right-leaning outlets, including the Washington Times and Arab News, reported the story with the same core wire details as left- and center-leaning counterparts, emphasizing the security features Trump said the club already has. The Washington Examiner gave particular attention to the formal designation process and lodging provisions for foreign officials. The Telegraph diverged by identifying the site as Mar-a-Lago, a factual difference from the Trump International Golf Club location cited by most other outlets across the spectrum. Only CBS News raised the question of taxpayer cost and benefit, a detail largely absent from right-leaning coverage.

What is still unclear

It is not clear what financial benefit, if any, taxpayers would receive from the project or what it would cost, a question CBS News raised but other outlets did not address. There is also a discrepancy over the exact property involved, with most outlets naming Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach while The Telegraph referred to Mar-a-Lago, leaving the precise site unresolved in the supplied material.