The Trump Organization has charged the US government more than $900,000 in various fees and expenses related to Secret Service protection of the president, and when asked about it, the White House warned the Washington Post that it was collecting dossiers on its reporter.
David Fahrenthold’s team’s reporting shows that the Trump Organization made the government pay for things like furniture removal and resort fees for accommodate Trump’s travel entourage and Secret Service protection. At Mar-a-Lago, Secret Service was told it could not occupy rooms around Trump’s suite because the had already been booked by others, and they were directed to stay at a property across the street. This prompted the USSS to book the rooms in two week blocs for months in advance, just in case Trump decided to make an impromptu trip to his resort. When asked about the reporting relating to the Trump Organization practices, a White House spokesperson threatened Fahrenthold and the Washington Post. “The Washington Post is blatantly interfering with the business relationships of the Trump Organization, and it must stop,” White House spokesman Judd Deere wrote in his statement. “Please be advised that we are building up a very large ‘dossier’ on the many false David Fahrenthold and others stories as they are a disgrace to journalism and the American people.”