Trump Has Spent More Than Three Months This Year At His Properties, Adding to Ethics Concerns

Eleven months into his term, President Donald Trump has spent nearly a third of his time in office at properties owned by his real estate empire, according to a new report.

CNN: Today marks Trump's 108th day at one of his properties as president. 85th day at one of his golf courses. 37th day at Mar-A-Lago during his first term. — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) December 24, 2017

The Wall Street Journal found that the president has spent more than 100 days at one of his properties, including more than a month each at his golf course in New Jersey and at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

While Trump frequently criticized President Barack Obama for taking golf outings, and pledged on the campaign trail that he "would not be a president that takes time off," he took to calling Mar-a-Lago the "Winter White House" almost immediately after entering office.

Trump's frequent travel has drawn criticism not only for the questions it raises about his use of taxpayer money and his level of interest in the work of running the government, but also for the benefits afforded to his business when he visits his properties.

The president gave control of his business to his two eldest sons when he entered office, but did not divest his assets. Critics including the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)—which vowed to continue fighting against the president's conflicts of interest after their lawsuit against him was dismissed this week—say Trump still profits off of his hotels, restaurants, and clubs. Many of his properties have raised their rates since Trump began his term, raising concerns that Trump and his company are profiting off his position in government, particularly when foreign leaders visit them.

Trump’s visits to his properties in Florida costs the local Palm Beach government so much that it considered raising taxes.https://t.co/vTKLeLJrTH — Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) December 25, 2017

Trump has spent about a third of his presidency visiting his businesses. And these visits come with a cost. Trump has used tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize numerous trips to his properties in 2017. https://t.co/04ecP4pJfn — Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) December 25, 2017

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Meanwhile, the recruitment website Glassdoor found earlier this month that most Americans don't take all of the vacation time they're afforded. Nearly 10 percent of workers who are entitled to paid time off take none at all, while only 23 percent take all of the times they're allowed—a contrast noted by some critics on social media.