Grounding Air Force One? DOGE’s Budget Cuts Put Spotlight on Trump’s Pricey Palm Beach Trips
With Elon Musk’s DOGE team pushing historic cuts to federal spending—slashing programs, laying off tens of thousands of government workers, and even targeting the U.S. Department of Education—President Trump’s frequent weekend trips to his Palm Beach resort are once again drawing national attention.
A round-trip flight on Air Force One from Washington, D.C. to Palm Beach, Florida, costs taxpayers anywhere from $1.1 to $1.2 million, depending on fuel and operating factors. The jet burns around $200,000 to $230,000 per hour, and the flight is roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes one way. That means a full weekend round-trip clocks in at over 5 hours of flight time and well over a million dollars just for transportation.
And That’s Just the Beginning
The total cost of Trump’s travel includes much more than airfare. For one recent visit, $478,000 was spent on extra security alone, while a $1.7 million contract was issued for perimeter protection at an undisclosed site in West Palm Beach just before the 2024 election.
In past years, Trump’s own club billed the government $60,000 for hosting federal staff. Meanwhile, Palm Beach County itself has spent tens of millions of dollars on security and support—costs it is now asking the federal government to reimburse.
Additional expenses include:
• Military cargo planes transporting Trump’s motorcade
• The armored limo, “The Beast,” and other Secret Service vehicles.
• Occasional use of Marine One helicopters, costing $16,700 to $20,000 per hour.
Trump’s ‘Working Weekends’
Critics point out the irony: Trump’s trips, defended by supporters as part of his “working weekends,” continue even as federal departments are gutted. Past presidents also traveled, but none oversaw such deep government cuts while running up massive personal travel expenses.
TOTAL BREAKDOWN
Air Force One Flight Cost:
• $206,337 to $230,000 per hour
• Flight time: About 2 hours and 40 minutes one way (≈ 2.67 hours)
• Round trip flight time: 2.67 x 2 = 5.34 hours
• Total Air Force One cost per round trip:
$206,337 x 5.34 = ~$1.1 million
$230,000 x 5.34 = ~$1.23 million
So the flight alone costs between $1.1 million and $1.23 million.
Additional Costs (examples from previous trips):
• Security contract: $478,000
• Perimeter protection contract: $1.7 million
• Use of Mar-a-Lago for staff: $60,000
• Marine One helicopter (if used): ~$16,700 to $20,000 per hour
• Palm Beach County’s local costs: Tens of millions (varies, not per trip)
While not all of these expenses happen every single trip, conservatively, a single weekend trip could easily run:
• Total: $2 million to $3 million, when combining airfare, security, support, and local expenses.
With the new Air Force One fleet estimated to cost $3.2 billion, watchdogs say grounding these flights—even partially—could be one small way DOGE could actually save billions. For now, each Palm Beach weekend leaves taxpayers with the bill—and few answers.
