Florida Officials Want Feds to Pay Trump Security Costs

Florida members of Congress, complaining about the mushrooming costs of protecting President-elect Donald Trump when he visits his estate in Palm Beach County, are asking the federal government to reimburse the state for hundreds of thousands of dollars, The Hill reports.

Democratic Sens. Bill Nelson, Rep. Alcee Hastings, Ted Deutch, Lois Frankel, Patrick Murphy, and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson asking the agencies to use funds allocated by the continuing resolution Congress passed last month to repay Palm Beach County for its expenses.

Protecting Trump's four-day visit over the Thanksgiving holiday cost the county about $250,000, Palm Beach County Mayor Paulette Burdick estimated, the website notes.

Trump is spending 10 days at his Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida over Christmas and it is unknown how much additional money will be spent by the county to protect him.

Congress passed a funding bill allocating $7 million to pay for local police costs associated with protecting Trump.

But it isn't likely to cover all the costs for guarding Trump, who has spent most of his time in Florida and New York and Florida since the election.

The Palm Beach Post reports local officials did not seek reimbursement for expense related to campaign stops.

"When that occurs, you just eat that costs, Palm Beach County Administrator Verdenia Baker is quoted by the paper. "He's now president-elect. He's got his home here. He's going to be here more."

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