Access to Trump Comes at a Price
On Feb. 11, President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had dinner at Trump’s private club in Florida, Mar-a-Lago. It was then when the news broke that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile in Japan’s direction. Immediately, there was a flurry of activity—aides surrounded Trump and Abe as they were briefed on the situation in the restaurant. According to CNN, the response from the politicians to the situation was “on full view to fellow diners,” and aides had used the flashlights on their phones to better illuminate the documents that were being handed to Trump and Abe. The reaction was captured by Richard DeAgazio, a retired investor and member of Mar-a-Lago, who posted pictures of the incident on social media.
This stirred up controversy regarding the level of access that members of Mar-a-Lago have to President Trump. It is outrageous that members reportedly pay a $200,000 initiation fee to join the exclusive resort, on top of annual dues of $14,000 as well as an annual food minimum of $2,000. The club accepts no more than a measly 40 new members per year, and members include Marvel Entertainment CEO Isaac Perlmutter and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Members of Mar-a-Lago are all wealthy, powerful people who pay exorbitant prices to enjoy a 20-acre resort and also to possibly influence the president’s decisions regarding policy making that affect their businesses. Trump has already spent two of his four weekends as president at Mar-a-Lago, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner and chief strategist Steve Bannon are also known to be members that frequent the club. There, Trump has hosted so many important people—such as presidential guests and industry executives—that Trump designated it his “Winter White House.”
For people who can readily afford a Mar-a-Lago membership, there is a very real possibility that they get to witness the president discussing issues ranging from international policy to national security. According to The New York Times, having the president stop by at your table for a quick chat is not a rare occurrence for members of Mar-a-Lago. This also means that the people who cannot afford the membership are shut out of the conversation. This kind of exclusion is both unprecedented and dangerous, as rich members of the club can choose to prioritize their own monetary interests ahead of the greater good of the nation. To let them have the president’s ear and be close enough to him to influence his policy decisions could lead to disastrous results.
Although wealthy donors were targeted during Trump’s speeches, where he pledged to have an administration free of big money interests, actions speak louder than Trump’s hypocritical words. At a recent event in Washington, D.C., people who contributed seven-figure donations were welcomed with a gift bag filled with items such as gold White House cufflinks. They also received preferential booking at the Trump International Hotel and invitations to receptions and other events where they could again gain access to powerful political figures such as Trump himself and Vice President Mike Pence. The idea that you must have a certain amount of wealth to have your opinion heard is immoral. Furthermore, Steve Mnuchin, a former hedge fund manager and Goldman Sachs executive, was also recently confirmed as treasury secretary. Goldman Sachs is known as one of the banks that played a major role in toppling the economy in the Wall Street Crash of 2008.
Whether he was ever going to fulfill them or not, Trump is neglecting all of the promises he made during his campaign to fight for the rights of the financially underprivileged. Instead, he is surrounding himself with some of the richest people in the country in the White House and at his resort. Trump must understand that a wealthy minority does not represent the diversity of America, and to think that rich donors with business interests know best when it comes to policies that benefit everyone is ridiculous. As long as he ignores the voices of the underprivileged, he also continues to ignore the demands of the American people.