Trump Once Said You’d Like Camp David “For About 30 Minutes.” Now He Wants To Turn His West Palm Beach Golf Club Into A Presidential Retreat, With Free Memberships For Future Presidents
Trump once dismissed Camp David as a place you'd enjoy for about 30 minutes. Now a proposal sitting before Palm Beach County commissioners could permanently reshape where American presidents go to govern and host the world's most powerful leaders.
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In an interview with two European newspapers shortly before his first inauguration, Donald Trump sized up the presidential retreat in Maryland this way, as reported by CNN: “Camp David is very rustic, it’s nice, you’d like it. You know how long you’d like it? For about 30 minutes.”
A proposal now before Palm Beach County would turn part of the golf club that bears his name into a permanent presidential retreat. The Washington Post advanced the story on October 7, 2026, under the headline “Trump wants to turn his West Palm Beach golf course into the new Camp David.”
What the Lawyer’s Letter Asks the County to Do
Harvey Oyer, a lawyer for the Trump course, presented the proposal in a letter to county commissioners in September. The letter asks the county to give a parcel to the federal government, designated a permanent, official sanctuary for foreign leaders and future U.S. presidents. Future presidents would be offered comped memberships to the club.
Oyer compared the site to Camp David, Windsor Castle and the Elysee Palace, writing that the Presidential Golf Course would be known worldwide in the same way. Construction would not finish before Trump leaves office, making the project “a gift” to his successors.
Who Owns the Ground Under the Club
Palm Beach County owns the land; the Trump company leases it. Under the proposal, the company would keep making lease payments, Trump would pay for a presidential residence and facilities, and the retreat would sit on linked land with a separate entrance from the private club.
The club would remain under the Trump family company. The Washington Post reports Trump reported income of nearly $37 million from the course last year. The club opened in 1999 after Trump settled a case with the county over planes flying over Mar-a-Lago.
How the Plan Reached County Hall
The Palm Beach Post first reported the letter on September 4, 2026. County staff began talks on September 21, 2026.
County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo says the county is seriously considering the proposal and will select a parcel. He said Trump views it as a “lasting contribution” to the presidency. Neither the county nor the federal government has given approval.
A White House official said the site is minutes away from the Donald J. Trump International Airport, has strong security features, is close to law enforcement and is a highly rated golf course.
Camp David Looked Different After One Visit
Trump’s view of Camp David changed after his first visit on June 18, 2017, when he called it incredible and beautiful. He spent few weekends there and chose his own properties.
Mar-a-Lago has a history of its own. Marjorie Merriweather Post gave the estate to the federal government in 1973 as a Winter White House. The National Park Service later returned it over maintenance costs, and Trump bought it in 1985.
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AJ spent 10 years writing about financial markets at The Motley Fool. His coverage centers on technology stocks and the broader macroeconomic trends, from interest rates to geopolitics, that shape where markets are headed next. AJ is drawn to the stories where big-picture economics and individual companies collide.
