President Donald Trump is backing an ambitious proposal to transform part of his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, into a permanent presidential retreat modeled after Camp David.
The idea would create a new destination where future U.S. presidents could spend weekends, hold private meetings and potentially host foreign leaders away from Washington.
Trump publicly endorsed the proposal on October 7, calling it a “great idea” and saying the site could eventually serve presidents from both political parties. According to Trump, the concept was suggested by military and Secret Service officials who believe the location has several security and logistical advantages.
But the proposal is already raising questions about security, government property, Trump’s private business interests and whether a presidential retreat should be connected to a commercial property owned by a sitting president’s company.
Trump’s Vision for a Florida Alternative to Camp David
Camp David has traditionally served as the president’s private retreat away from Washington. Located in Maryland’s Catoctin Mountain Park, the secluded facility has hosted presidents, foreign leaders and major diplomatic meetings for decades.
Trump’s proposal would offer a very different setting.
Instead of a heavily secluded mountain compound, the proposed Florida retreat would be connected to Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, a luxury golf property operated by the Trump Organization.
Trump said the proposed facility would be useful for future presidents and emphasized that it would not be intended exclusively for him.
“This wouldn’t be for me,” Trump said when discussing the idea. “This would be for all future presidents.”
The proposed retreat could therefore become a permanent part of the presidential infrastructure rather than simply another private property used by Trump during his presidency.
This Is Not Mar-a-Lago
Despite the close association between Trump and Palm Beach, the proposed retreat would not be located at Mar-a-Lago.
The property at the center of the proposal is Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, a separate Trump-owned golf operation located near Palm Beach International Airport.
That distinction matters because the plan involves using a portion of the golf club and potentially creating a dedicated presidential facility connected to the property.
Trump’s representatives have argued that the location offers advantages that would make it suitable for high-level presidential use, including its proximity to the airport, nearby law-enforcement resources and the absence of tall buildings immediately surrounding parts of the golf course.
How the Proposal Would Work
The idea emerged through a proposal presented to Palm Beach County officials by an attorney representing Trump International Golf Club.
The golf club sits on land owned by Palm Beach County under a long-term lease arrangement. Under the proposal, a portion of the property would be made available for a presidential retreat, with the federal government potentially receiving control of the designated area.
The proposed arrangement would involve the county, the federal government and Trump International Golf Club.
According to reporting on the proposal, the new presidential facilities would have a separate entrance from the private golf club. That would allow the golf business to continue operating while creating a distinct area for presidential activities.
Palm Beach County officials are considering the proposal and have been seeking additional information, including the potential involvement of the General Services Administration.
That means the idea remains in the planning stage and is far from becoming an official presidential facility.
Trump Says the Golf Club Has Security Advantages
Security is one of the central arguments behind the proposal.
Trump has pointed to the property’s physical characteristics, saying there are no tall buildings immediately overlooking the golf course and fewer homes surrounding some portions of the property.
He also highlighted the site’s proximity to the airport.
From the administration’s perspective, those characteristics could make it easier to protect a president and visiting foreign dignitaries.
A White House official cited similar reasons when discussing the proposal, describing the location as close to the airport and law enforcement while emphasizing its existing security infrastructure.
However, the security argument is also one of the most controversial aspects of the plan.
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Trump International Golf Club has a particularly significant security history.
In September 2024, while Trump was campaigning for president, an armed man was discovered near the golf course while Trump was playing.
The incident resulted in the arrest of Ryan Wesley Routh, who was later convicted in connection with the attempted assassination and sentenced to life in federal prison.
The episode demonstrated that even a property considered relatively secure can present challenges when a president is physically present.
That history has led some security experts to question whether a busy Florida golf course surrounded by public roads is an ideal location for a permanent presidential retreat.
The debate is therefore not simply about whether the golf club can be protected for occasional presidential visits. A permanent facility would require security measures around the clock and would potentially transform the surrounding area whenever a president or foreign leader was present.
A Private Business at the Center of a Public Institution
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the proposal is the relationship between the proposed presidential facility and Trump’s private business empire.
Trump International Golf Club is owned and operated through Trump’s business organization, while the proposed presidential facility would have an official government role.
Trump’s representatives have attempted to address that concern by proposing that the golf club pay for construction of the presidential lodging facility.
The proposal has been described as a “gift” to future presidents and the American people.
According to reports, Trump would not necessarily be president by the time construction was completed. The proposal therefore presents itself as a long-term investment in presidential infrastructure rather than simply a facility for Trump’s own use.
The golf club would also continue operating as a private business.
That arrangement could create an unusual situation in which a commercial property owned by Trump’s company becomes closely associated with an official presidential facility.
Could Future Presidents Use the Property?
The proposal is designed to extend beyond Trump’s presidency.
Trump has repeatedly emphasized that future presidents would be able to use the retreat, regardless of political affiliation.
The proposal reportedly envisions access for past, current and future presidents, as well as visiting foreign heads of state, subject to presidential approval.
Future presidents could potentially receive golf-club memberships, while foreign leaders could use the property during diplomatic visits.
If approved and completed, that would give the location a role similar in prestige—though not necessarily in function—to established presidential and diplomatic sites.
The proposal’s supporters have compared the potential importance of the site to internationally recognized locations such as Camp David, Windsor Castle and the Élysée Palace.
A Very Different Camp David
The contrast between Camp David and the proposed Florida retreat could hardly be greater.
Camp David is intentionally secluded, surrounded by forests and protected as a highly secure presidential facility.
Trump International Golf Club, by comparison, is a luxury commercial golf course located in an active South Florida community.
Camp David’s atmosphere is rustic and private. The Florida proposal would combine presidential use with a world-class golf facility, warmer weather and proximity to Palm Beach.
That difference could ultimately become part of the attraction.
Trump has long incorporated golf into his political and presidential life. A Florida retreat would allow future presidents who enjoy the sport to combine recreation with private meetings and diplomatic engagements.
Trump’s Broader Legacy Project
The proposal also fits into a broader pattern of Trump seeking to leave a lasting mark on the physical institutions and symbols associated with the presidency.
During his second term, Trump has pursued major changes involving the White House complex and other prominent government spaces.
A permanent presidential retreat bearing a strong connection to one of Trump’s properties would add another element to that legacy.
Supporters could describe it as a modern presidential facility created at little or no construction cost to taxpayers.
Critics, however, could argue that the arrangement risks blurring the boundary between public office and private business.
That tension is likely to remain one of the central issues if the proposal moves forward.
What Happens Next?
For now, the Florida Camp David proposal is still only a proposal.
Palm Beach County owns the underlying land and would therefore play an important role in determining whether the plan can proceed. Federal agencies would also have to address questions involving security, construction, land use and the operation of an official presidential facility.
The General Services Administration has reportedly been involved in discussions over the potential site.
The Secret Service and Department of Defense had not publicly confirmed all of the details surrounding Trump’s claim that the idea originated with military and security officials.
There are also questions about the final design, cost, ownership structure and long-term management of the facility.
None of those issues has yet been completely resolved.
A New Chapter for Presidential Retreats?
If the project eventually becomes reality, it could fundamentally change the concept of a presidential retreat.
For decades, Camp David has represented privacy, isolation and diplomacy away from Washington.
Trump’s proposed Florida retreat would represent something very different: luxury golf, South Florida politics, presidential travel and private enterprise existing alongside an official government facility.
Whether that combination becomes a successful model or creates an uncomfortable conflict between public and private interests will depend largely on how the proposal is structured.
For Trump, however, the idea represents something larger than another place to play golf.
He is presenting it as a facility that could serve presidents long after he leaves office.
If Palm Beach County and the federal government ultimately approve the arrangement, Trump’s Florida golf club could become more than a luxury sporting destination. It could become a permanent part of the machinery surrounding the American presidency.
For now, the proposal remains under consideration.
But if Trump’s vision becomes reality, future presidents may one day spend their weekends in Florida at a retreat that began as an idea connected to one of Donald Trump’s most recognizable private properties.
