Following up this morning’s report that Trump has essentially bankrupted the Secret Service through excessive travel to Trump-owned properties, which in turn fleece the Secret Service, I’d like to note that Congress—and specifically Democrats in the Senate—can put a stop to it, if and when the White House and USSS come begging for supplemental spending.
Every president needs a security detail but the Constitution doesn’t entitle the president to as much leisure travel as he wants, and possibly even prohibits the president from using leisure travel to funnel public money into his own pocket.
If he’s already drained USSS appropriations, then supplemental funds should be conditioned first on itemized disclosure of the Trump-owned accounts Secret Service has had to pay to discharge its obligation to protect the president, and second on a legislative rider prohibiting USSS from reimbursing entities owned by the president for expenses and services incurred in the course of protecting the president.
Plussing-up Secret Service accounts will be subject to filibuster, so Democrats can make these demands, if they’re willing to stand on the (I’d argue politically solid) principle that the president can’t profit from his government-provided security detail.
If Trump wants to vacation constantly, fine. If he wants to vacation at his own properties, also fine, but only if he’s willing to cover the security costs himself, or deal with whatever limitations it would entail to receive protection without profit.