Trump’s properties remain an epicenter of his conflicts and corruption in second term

In the year since Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office, he has already racked up an astonishing number of conflicts of interest from the businesses that he owns and profits from as president. While everyday Americans continue to struggle to cover the rising costs of housing, groceries, utilities and other regular expenses, Trump’s profiteering has led to what Forbes magazine described as “the most lucrative year of [Donald Trump’s] life.” In his first 365 days back in office, Trump visited his properties 198 times, and visited his golf courses 116 times, sending a message to those looking to influence his administration that his properties are open for business. Foreign government officials visited his properties 60 times, pouring money into Trump’s pockets, and special interest groups held 57 events at them. Trump and his family profit financially. Special interests benefit. Foreign governments benefit. And everyday Americans come last.

This corruption is not new. Trump’s first term in office was marred by egregious conflicts of interest arising from his decision not to divest from his real estate empire. CREW spent those four years meticulously tracking interactions between the Trump Organization and the presidency, totaling more than 3,700 conflicts of interest. CREW has continued tracking Trump’s conflicts in his second term, and the level of corruption and profiteering have already far surpassed the already ignominious standard he set in his first term.

Trump’s family spent the four years he was out of office expanding their business empire with several new overseas real estate licensing deals and trying to squeeze all the money they can out of novel crypto products. Despite these new money-making ventures, the Trump Organization’s core real estate properties remain open as an easy way for those looking to gain favor with Trump to line his pockets. With Trump constantly visiting and promoting his businesses, it has become almost impossible to know exactly where his and his family’s businesses end, and his administration begins. 

Not only does tracking these conflicts demonstrate how Trump is profiting while in office, but it demonstrates just how deeply embedded Trump’s personal financial interests are in his presidency, a role that is supposed to be a position of public service and public trust, not profiteering. While Trump has embarked on a roadshow to convince the public that his economy is performing better than their own wallets tell them it is, wealthy special interests and corporations can buy an audience with the president through his resorts and properties. Regular folks have to wait in line at a political rally to hear about Trump’s economic agenda. Trump’s paying customers get a seat at the table to actually influence it. Meanwhile the gap between corporate profits and worker wages has never been higher.

Since Trump’s first day back in office, CREW has been tracking these conflicts, falling into three main categories: 

• Visits to Trump properties by foreign dignitaries, state government officials, members of his cabinet and Trump himself.
• Events at Trump properties where special interests, political groups and foreign governments pay an arm and a leg to enrich him while hoping to curry favor with him and his administration.
• Instances of Trump, members of his administration and government agencies promoting his businesses online, in speeches and in other forms. 

Visits

Visits by Trump

In his first year back in office, Trump made 198 visits to his properties, including 116 to golf courses, a 21 percent increase from the first year of his first term, when he made 163 visits to his properties, with 97 to golf courses. Trump visited at least one of his properties on 142 days during his first year back in office, well over one third of the days of his presidency.

Trump has visited Mar-a-Lago the greatest number of times, with 76 visits there. His nearby West Palm Beach golf course, which he often visits while staying at Mar-a-Lago, is a distant second. He visited it 49 times.

Trump’s frequent visits to his properties offer extraordinary benefits to his personal financial interests and to influence-seekers. How this profiteering benefits the public Trump was elected to serve remains to be seen. Foreign nations and special interests know that visiting the president’s property gives them unprecedented access and influence, prompting one diplomat to put it this way after the 2016 election: “Why wouldn’t I stay at [Trump’s] hotel blocks from the White House, so I can tell the new president, ‘I love your new hotel!’ Isn’t it rude to come to his city and say, ‘I am staying at your competitor?’” While everyday Americans are still concerned about inflation, membership fees for his Mar-a-Lago resort have increased from $100,000 in 2016 to $1 million in 2024.

During Trump’s first term, his now-shuttered Washington, D.C. hotel was the most visited of his properties. Trump’s circle claimed all of the business was due to its convenient location near Capitol Hill and the White House. This was obviously never true. Now that the hotel is closed, people are flying down to Florida to see Trump at Mar-a-Lago, his “winter White House.”

When Trump visits his properties, he is doing more than playing golf and making guest appearances at weddings. He carries out official government business among paying members at the businesses he profits from. By doing this, he and his administration have established Mar-a-Lago and his other properties as centers of power and influence. This makes Mar-a-Lago a huge national security risk. For example, in the days before the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Trump hinted to guests that they should watch out for something “big” coming “soon.” Additionally, Trump allegedly shared potentially sensitive information about US nuclear submarines with Australian billionaire and Mar-a-Lago member Anthony Pratt, and security at his properties has been so lax at times that on multiple occasions foreign nationals have been able to sneak in and even rub elbows with Trump himself.

Trump spent 16 consecutive days at Mar-a-Lago over the holidays, leaving mostly to golf at his West Palm Beach club. Over this period, Trump celebrated Christmas with his family, hosted a lavish New Year’s Eve party, introduced a new fleet of naval vessels at a press conference with cabinet members, ordered an attack on “terrorists” in Nigeria, met with the leaders of two countries and monitored the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from a Mar-a-Lago war-room with cabinet members.

Conducting presidential business requires significant resources, and Trump has no problem charging taxpayers for the services his properties provide, even though the only reason they’re needed is because he insists on spending all of his free time there. During his first term, Trump’s constant trips to his properties forced the Secret Service to spend nearly $2 million in taxpayer money at his properties, and it was certainly not the only agency he forced to pay up. CREW has already shown that this trend of taxpayer money being funneled into Trump’s pocket continues in his second term.

In late July, Trump made a five-day trip to Scotland where he stayed at his Turnberry and Aberdeen properties and participated in the opening of a new Scottish golf course. Trump met with European Union and United Kingdom officials. Still, the trip centered around the opening of a new golf course at his Aberdeen club, which he celebrated at a ceremony where he cut a ribbon with a pair of gold scissors with Trump Organization employees, professional golfers and Scottish officials. The Secret Service racked up over $53,000 in hotel bills for this trip, completely subsidized by American taxpayers.

Foreign government officials

Fifty-five officials from 21 countries made 60 visits to Trump properties in Trump’s first year back in office, posing potential Foreign Emoluments Clause violations and potential threats to our national security. Officials from Israel made the most visits, followed by Argentina.

Since 2016, patronizing a Trump property has been one of the easiest ways for foreign countries and officials to seek influence with Trump. Foreign officials are working from this same playbook in Trump’s second term. If foreign governments can gain access to Trump simply by paying the exorbitant rates to patronize his resorts and properties, then the interests of the average citizen, and our less-wealthy or more scrupulous allies, are undermined by Trump’s corrupt profiteering of his public office.

Several heads of state visited Trump properties in his first year back in office. In January, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to “strengthen ties” with the United States. Following the meeting, Fico advertised on Facebook that the talks took place in Trump’s “private living room,” an invitation that symbolizes “a sign of high honour and trust.” Just weeks earlier, Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who then attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve party a couple of nights later, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Trump at both of his golf courses in Scotland. The presidents of Finland, Ecuador, Argentina and Costa Rica also visited Trump properties, resulting in promotion and possibly payments.

Foreign officials often travel with delegations. President of Argentina Javier Milei made two visits to Mar-a-Lago last year, in April and November. Both times, he was accompanied by a group of officials that included his Secretary General of the Presidency, Minister of Economy, Foreign Minister and Argentina’s Ambassador to the United States.

Cabinet members

Visits by cabinet officials

Where Trump goes, members of his cabinet follow. 17 different cabinet members made 42 visits to their boss’s properties in Trump’s first year back in office. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the greatest number of visits, followed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles tied for third.

Trump carries out official government business at his properties, so when members of his cabinet visit, they’re often on the clock. Rubio and Hegseth spent several days at  Mar-a-Lago in December and January. During this time they met with the presidents of Ukraine and Israel, introduced a new fleet of naval ships and watched the U.S. capture of Maduro unfold from a war room at the club. Both were seen partying there as well.

Cabinet members also attended events and parties at Trump properties. Nine cabinet members have attended an event for a special interest group or other host, giving Trump’s high-dollar customers precious access to his administration, and likely explaining why the cost of Mar-a-Lago membership has spiked since 2016. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin attended the America First Policy Institute Experience & Gala at Mar-a-Lago, either by participating in panel discussions, partying at the lavish gala or both.

State government officials

In Trump’s first year back in office, officials from seven different states made 43 visits to Trump properties. With their state home to several Trump properties, Florida officials made the most visits to Trump properties, with 35 visits in total. Top visitors have been State Representative Meg Weinberger, with six visits, followed by Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, State Representative Juan Carlos Porras and Attorney General James Uthmeier with three visits each.

After Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill renaming a portion of Palm Beach’s Southern Boulevard “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard” into law, officials from Florida attended a ceremony at Mar-a-Lago. In his speech, Trump shouted out several Florida officials. Attendees of the ceremony included Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and Ben Albritton, the President of the Florida Senate.

Events at Trump properties

In Trump’s first year back in office, special interest groups, political committees and foreign governments held 89 events at Trump properties, a sharp increase from the first year of Trump’s first term, when there were 64 events.

Special interest groups

Special interests hosted 57 events at Trump properties. Many of these events had multiple hosts or sponsors that lobby the government. At least 105 different special interests paid Trump in some way by sponsoring an event. In Trump’s first term, CREW estimated that special interest groups spent more than $13 million on events at his properties, while often getting valuable access and their preferred policies from his administration.

Paying to hold an event at Trump properties provides special interests with an opportunity to ingratiate themselves with Trump and to get close to the policymakers in his orbit, which includes members of Congress and the executive branch. In November, leaders across the space, tech and venture capital industries came together at Mar-a-Lago for the Frontier Breakthrough summit to discuss the “New Space Economy.” Several members of Congress and the Trump administration were in attendance. An attendee of the event spelled it out perfectly in a LinkedIn post: the Mar-a-Lago event gave them a chance to “join key members of the Trump Administration, Congress,” and other “trailblazing visionaries,” with attendees from NASA, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.

CPAC had its Circle Retreat and Gala, billed as “a premier gathering for the biggest leaders in the conservative movement in America and from around the world,” at Mar-a-Lago in November. The gathering brought together officials from all levels of government, candidates, Republican Party leaders and even foreign officials to discuss “America First principles.”

The America First Policy Institute, which works to promote an America First policy agenda, held its Experience & Gala over three days at Mar-a-Lago, similarly acting as an opportunity for leaders in the MAGA movement to get together and discuss issues like “artificial intelligence, affordability, election integrity, and immigration, among others.” Seven cabinet members attended.

Political committees

During Trump’s first term, CREW tracked each visit by a member of Congress, but after four years of his political allies fully embracing his conflicts of interest—making hundreds of visits to his properties and blatantly channeling massive sums from their political coffers into his pocket—we decided to take it as a given that they would continue to make frequent visits to his properties, and instead simply monitor spending by political committees.

And they are definitely still spending big. At least 29 political groups held as many events at Trump properties. According to a CREW analysis, political committees, including campaigns and party committees tied to members of Congress, spent over $900,000 at Trump properties between his inauguration and August 2025, outpacing the average $100,000 a month spent by these committees in the first year of Trump’s first term. By now, that number has almost certainly far surpassed $1 million.

Trump’s own PAC, MAGA Inc., has had eight events at Trump properties, more than any other political group. For at least three of these events, tickets went for an astounding $1 million per plate. These fundraisers have been lucrative for the committee: MAGA Inc. entered 2026 with a stockpile of almost $300 million.

In some ways, what Trump is doing is nothing new. For decades, the wealthiest donors in the country have been getting special access to presidents solely by virtue of their ability to pony up for a seat at a high-dollar fundraiser. The difference now is that when they do so, a cut is going directly into the president’s personal coffers, in a new level of corruption and profiteering.

Other candidates and officeholders have come from far and wide to hold events at Trump properties, courting Trump’s support by putting money in his pocket. At the end of last year, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham raised money for a political committee supporting both him and Trump with the “Trump Graham Golf Classic” at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club. Florida State Representative Meg Weinberger held a fundraiser at Trump’s Jupiter, Florida golf club, inviting several congressmembers and state officials. Officials even fly across the country to fundraise at Trump properties: Iowa’s Attorney General Brenna Bird held a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago, despite her constituents living hundreds of miles away.

Foreign governments

Eight foreign governments hosted or sponsored five events at Trump properties, posing similar Emoluments Clause risks. Entities from the United Arab Emirates have hosted or sponsored the most.

Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf held a major tournament at Trump National Doral in April and sponsored a smaller event in May. LIV is returning in the 2026 season with tournaments at Trump National DC in May and Trump National Bedminster in August.

In August, the cryptocurrency company Nexo held a tournament at Trump’s Aberdeen golf course in Scotland, with three foreign government sponsors. These included the UAE’s Emirates Airlines, DP World, a shipping company owned by Dubai’s sovereign wealth fund, and Adlar Properties, a developer owned by Abu Dhabi’s government.

Promotion

Trump

In his first term in office, Trump abused his office to advertise his business interests, often showering them with lavish praise in his capacity as president. This term Trump has continued to use every opportunity to advertise his properties and other business interests. In his first year back in office, Trump mentioned or referred to his business interests 135 times. In 51 of these instances, he praised them. This is a huge increase from year one of his first term. Trump is even more brazenly abusing his office for personal gain this term.

Mar-a-Lago is Trump’s most referenced property. Trump mentioned his “winter White House” in 29 promotions, followed by Turnberry (20), the Trump Organization (17) and Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, Scotland (15).

Trump will turn a conversation on any subject into an advertisement for his properties. During an announcement about a new class of navy vessels, Trump brought up Mar-a-Lago and bragged that it is “the hottest place in Florida” and even “the hottest place in the world.” When a POLITICO reporter asked Trump about his goals for U.S. foreign policy in Venezuela, he mentioned his “big,” “beautiful” project, Trump National Doral.

Trump filled interviews and press conferences with comments about his Turnberry and Aberdeen golf courses during his trip to Scotland last summer. On this trip, Trump mentioned the two properties eight times. Minutes into an interview with a podcast host at Turnberry, he said it is “probably the best course in the world,” according to “many people.” After he reiterated that Turnberry is an “incredible place,” he claimed that Aberdeen is “the most beautiful land you’ve ever seen,” and even “one of the great iconic properties in the world.” When asked by a reporter about comments he made on immigration in Europe, Trump included in his answer that he’s playing golf that day at the “best course [] in the world, Turnberry.” During a meeting with Starmer, Trump answered a question about Scotland’s referendum to leave the United Kingdom by recalling the opening of Aberdeen.

The Cabinet and the White House

Members of Trump’s administration have followed suit. Administration officials mentioned Trump properties 17 times. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins has promoted Trump properties the most, clocking eight social media posts about the “LUXURIOUS Mar-a-Lago,” “beautiful Trump National Doral Miami” and more.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made sure to plug Trump’s club in a speech for shipbuilders in Newport News, saying that he had the “privilege” of joining Trump “just before Christmas at Mar-a-Lago to announce a new fleet of Naval vessels. Hegseth also posted from Mar-a-Lago on New Year’s Eve, making sure to tag his location at Trump’s club.

As thousands of residents of the Twin Cities took to the streets to protest ICE violence, Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler posted a message in support of the agents that doubled as an ad for Trump properties. Posed in front of a Trump Hotel, Loeffler posted, “Great to stay at the Trump Hotel this week- where our ICE officers will NEVER be turned away! Thank you @icegov!” Secretary Noem posted about a lavish gala at Mar-a-Lago on her official government account. 

Government websites

Executive branch agencies are even mentioning Trump properties by name on their websites. Five agencies have promoted Trump properties 19 times.

References to Trump properties have appeared on State Department web pages eight times, the most of any agency. Several embassies have posted about Trump properties, including Chile, Paraguay and Italy, and with the G20 summit scheduled at Trump National Doral this year, there are bound to be more. The Department of Defense has plugged Trump properties six times, including in two releases about the capture of President Maduro that specifically mention Mar-a-Lago.

The International Trade Administration’s overview of market conditions in Oman states that the country is diversifying its economy through sectors such as tourism, developing “several large-scale Integrated Tourism Complexes.” The example given is the Trump International Hotel, currently under development in the country’s capital, Muscat. 

The Department of Homeland Security has posted pictures from Mar-a-Lago twice after Secretary Kristi Noem attended events there: the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association’s Big Blue Bash in November and the American Patriots Gala in April.

Conclusion

These categories only begin to encapsulate the full extent of Trump’s corruption in office, as he continues to push the boundaries of how much he can profit, and how others can benefit him.

Securing public office is the best business decision Trump has ever made. Trump’s properties were deep in the red when he became president in 2017. In those four years, he made over $1.6 billion, according to his financial disclosures. Trump was similarly facing financial woes when he returned to office last year, largely due to civil court judgments against him.

This time, however, things are different. According to a Forbes analysis of Trump family income sources, Trump’s net worth has jumped to $7.3 billion since his return to office; this corruption is occurring while everyday Americans are struggling to keep up with costs for basic needs. Much of this is thanks to the financial boon brought to his family by their cryptocurrency business, which includes World Liberty Financial, a Trump memecoin and bitcoin mining project American Bitcoin. The Trumps also launched USD1, a stablecoin to mirror the value of the dollar, and have most recently applied for a national trust bank charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Much of the transactions involving World Liberty Financial are secret, leaving little opportunity for transparency into who is benefitting the Trumps.

Trump is expanding his real estate empire as well. Before Trump’s first term he promised not to pursue any new foreign deals. Now, the Trump Organization is expanding around the world. 22 Trump-branded projects are being developed around the world during this term, more than tripling the number of Trump properties abroad. American businesses and consumers paid the price for President Trump’s illegal tariffs while Trump himself seeks to benefit from illegal emoluments.

Between the conflicts catalogued above, the foreign developments and the cryptocurrency business, the extent of Donald Trump’s corruption and conflicts of interest is staggering and unprecedented.