Trump's luxury Thanksgiving will cost Americans nearly $3 million

Donald Trump’s decision to fly down to his Florida resort for Thanksgiving vacation will cost taxpayers nearly $3 million. The trip is the latest big ticket luxury outing in what seems to be a never-ending parade of extravagance since Trump took office.

Trump plans to spend 5 days in Florida, with the cost largely coming from the elaborate travel and security demands that are a part of the presidency.

What makes the cost stand out is that Trump is constantly surrounding himself with luxury. While other presidents occasionally left the White House on holidays, Trump has spent 99 of his 306 days in office at his properties. That is a full one-third of his time in office.

The trip will also cost Palm Beach county, because local police have to be paid overtime to deal with the traffic and security concerns related to a presidential visit. Trump’s Thanksgiving trip will cost Florida taxpayers at least $350,000.

In 2016, celebrating his last Thanksgiving in office, President Barack Obama visited the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C. There, along with First Lady Michelle Obama, he served plates of Thanksgiving dinner to residents.

Trump left the White House early on a Tuesday afternoon. He paused to speak to the media and offer a full-throated endorsement of accused child molester Roy Moore. Then, as his press team issued a statement claiming he would spend the time at Mar-a-Lago hard at work, he almost immediately hit the golf course to enjoy himself.

It was his 50th golf outing, at taxpayer expense, during his time in office.

While the effect of his failing presidency has thus far been a negative for Trump properties, this has not stopped him from engaging in the blatantly corrupt practice of using his office to promote his brand.

America is on the hook, and Trump is unabashedly taking the nation for a ride.