Will Trump live in Mar-a-Lago after White House? Neighbors don't want him there, cite 1993 'use agreement'
President Donald Trump is facing legal action from neighbors at his Mar-a-Lago estate as they try to prevent it from becoming his permanent residence after he leaves the White House. The DeMoss family has written a letter via an attorney to authorities in Palm Beach and the US Secret Service, citing a 1993 agreement that allegedly meant Trump had lost his legal right to permanently live there. The family claims the former real estate mogul signed away his rights to live at Mar-a-Lago after he turned the private residence into a private club, The Sun reported.
The DeMoss family, who made their fortune by selling life insurance and later taking up evangelical philanthropy, lives at a lavish property directly north of Mar-a-Lago. According to The Sun, the family has openly expressed their dislike of Trump. Mark DeMoss reportedly resigned from the board of trustees at Liberty University after its leader endorsed the New York builder for president. Meanwhile, his sister Elizabeth has expressed opposition towards Trump's purported plan to build a dock at Mar-a-Lago.
The passionate letter urges the town to inform Trump he can not live there full time and thereby "avoid an embarrassing situation" for the president.
Trump allegedly signed a "use agreement" in 1993 after turning the residence into a social club. According to the report, the deal does not allow any of the club members from staying in the club's guest suites longer than seven consecutive days or spending more than 21 days a year at the property.
Furthermore, Trump also agreed to ensure that there were no more than 500 members at a time and that more than half of them either lived or worked in Palm Beach. The town council, at the time, was reportedly assured that Trump wouldn't live in Mar-a-Lago, a sprawling 118 room mansion built in the 1920s that he purchased for $7 million in 1985. About a decade later, he converted the home into a private club. In 2019, the club brought in $21.4 million in revenue.
The luxurious resort is a favorite amongst high-profile businessmen, real estate developers, Wall Street financiers, and other wealthy members of society. According to the report, the club requires a $200,000 initiation fee, coupled with an annual membership fee of $14,000 and an annual food minimum of $2,000.
The coveted club has remained one of the president's favorite weekend getaways during his tenure, considering he traveled there at least 30 times and spent at least 130 days there. In the process, he breached the 1993 agreement, the DeMoss family contends.
In their letter to Palm Beach, the family also complained about the disruption caused by Trump's trips, in terms of traffic and blocked streets. According to the report, the president has previously riled neighbors by installing a massive flagpole that exceeds height limits and obtaining permission from the town to allow him to build a helipad at the property. That said, Trump has tangled with Palm Beach in court several times. In one instance, he complained that the nearby Palm Beach International Airport was causing air and noise pollution. In another case, he challenged the town for blocking his attempt to split his Mar-a-Lago property into a number of housing units.
Trump changed his primary address from Trump Tower in New York City to Mar-a-Lago in October 2019. First Lady Melania Trump is reportedly "checking out a good Florida school for Barron" amid rumors that the 2,000 square-foot residence is set to be "expanded and spruced up" to accommodate the first family post-presidency.