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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Do US taxpayers pay security costs arising from presidential leisure outings?

By Cory Dawson
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YES

The U.S. president is protected round-the-clock by taxpayer-funded security. It keeps working through the executive's leisure hours, whether golfing or going to a Broadway show. Flights, lodging, rental vehicles and other logistical support add to the total cost.

The White House does not provide detailed reports, but sometimes indicative data surfaces. A 2017 Government Accountability Office report found that security costs ran about $13.6 million during President Trump's first four trips to stay at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida private club.

Judicial Watch, a conservative nonprofit, in 2017 estimated that costs totaled $107 million during the Obama presidency. A Broadway night out in 2009 attracted notice, with media estimates that it cost up to $250,000.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Government Accountability Office: Report on four trips to Mar-a-Lago in 2017
Department of Homeland Security: Inspector General on Secret Service spending at Trump Turnberry Resort
US News: The political cost of the Obama's date night
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Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.