Trump is not the first president to have access to Mar-a-Lago as a Florida retreat, but he is the first one to use it. By visiting this “winter White House,” Trump is belatedly fulfilling the dream of Mar-a-Lago’s original owner and designer.
This blatantly suggests that M-a-L is some kind of an 'official' government 'retreat' that a President can choose to visit. Sure, any President could have had 'access', as a paying guest. The same as any other person could. Trump is making money hand and foot with his so-called 'Winter White House'. It's a business, plain and simple.
Upon her death in 1973, she willed the estate to the U.S. government, intending it to be used as a winter White House for the U.S. president to entertain visiting foreign dignitaries.
Her plan didn’t work, however. Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter never used the property. And in 1981 the government returned the estate to the Post Foundation because it was costing too much money to maintain.
So, the Govt only 'owned' M-a-L for 9 years. Encompassing the presidencies of Nixon, Ford, & Carter. Both Nixon and Carter maintained their own private residences (not private clubs) as their 'homes away from the WH'. And I believe the Ford family had a place in Vail. To my knowledge the only President besides Trump to stay at M-a-L was JFK. And he did so as a guest, when it was still a private residence.
This is a blatant tactic to 'normalize' Trump's using the Presidency as part of his 'brand'. It's disgusting!!