May 05, 2017
President Donald Trump is spending the weekend in his Somerset County home, and it's saving the nation a few bucks to boot.
Trump announced his plans in a 9 a.m. tweet Friday.
"Rather than causing a big disruption in N.Y.C., I will be working out of my home in Bedminster, N.J. this weekend. Also saves the country money!" he wrote.
Trump arrived in New Jersey late Thursday after a stop in New York City following the GOP health care vote.
Rather than causing a big disruption in N.Y.C., I will be working out of my home in Bedminster, N.J. this weekend. Also saves country money!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2017
The president has been criticized in the past for spending his days at Mar-a-Lago, his private Palm Beach club, instead of the White House.
His first six weekends at the Florida estate cost about $21.6 million, putting Trump on target to surpass former President Barack Obama's total travel expenses during his two terms – about $97 million – sometime this year, according to CNN.
Trump is now expected to make fewer trips to his Florida estate but spend more time at his penthouse apartment in New York City, where first lady Melania Trump and son Barron live, as well as his private Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster.
The small town of Bedminster, whose population is around 9,000, has a 16-person-strong police force.
"We've seen prominent folks come and go here locally over the many years, and I think most Bedminster residents kind of nod their heads and let it roll off and say, 'Well, that's nice,' and take it very low-key," Bedminster Mayor Steven Parker said.
It could cost about $12,000 per day to keep Trump in the New Jersey town and perhaps $300,000 throughout the summer, The Associated Press reported.
New York City spends more than $300,000 per day when Trump is there, Reuters reported.
