First lady Melania Trump’s flights to and from New York City, Florida, and Washington, D.C., on Air Force jets before her move to the White House cost more than $675,000.
Trump spent the first months of her husband’s presidency living in New York City so their son, Barron, could finish his school year.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Air Force jets made at least 19 trips to LaGuardia Airport in New York and nine trips to Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport to drop off or pick up Trump from inauguration through April 2017.
“It is no secret that Mrs. Trump lived in New York City the first few months of the administration so that her son could finish school. The trips mentioned in this story are examples of Mrs. Trump juggling dual roles—putting her son first while also fulfilling some of her duties as First Lady,” Trump’s spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham told the news outlet.
Trump’s trips to and from Florida and New York were more costly because the jets were located at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, and sometimes had to fly without passengers to pick her up or return to the military base.
President Trump has chastised former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama over the years for their travel.
“They love to spend money,” President Trump tweeted about Michelle Obama’s 2010 trip to Spain.
The Obama’s Spain vacation cost taxpayers over $476K http://t.co/W6kIpd5x They love to spend money.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2012
The Wall Street Journal noted that Michelle Obama’s travel cost more than $2.8 million during the Obama presidency — about $350,000 a year.
