Donald Trump likes to refer to his Mar-a-Lago Club as the “Winter White House.” But critics may soon have another name for the estate.
The opulent charade of exclusivity and posh amenities should make outsiders envious.
However, a new look inside the Palm Beach, Florida, property has given people the ick.
The president has used the mansion as his primary residence since 2019.
He purchased the estate in 1985 for $5 million and spent more on preserving the building’s antiques and buying nearby oceanfront land.
By 1995, Mar-a-Lago had transformed into a club with $20,000 memberships, a price that has reportedly ballooned to $1 million.
But what exactly are people paying for?
Trump’s outspoken critics are baffled by the grime hidden beneath the opulent facade.
The weekend of Oct. 20, Mar-a-Lago welcomed the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce. According to the Palm Beach Post, 650 people attended the breakfast.
The publication’s photos from inside a banquet hall showed round tables covered in white linens, crystal chandeliers, walls and ceilings covered in gold appliqués, and pillars outfitted with gold artisan capitals.
But a closer look at the details gives new meaning to the saying, “Not everything that glitters is gold.”
One image in particular captured a long, rectangular air vent above a table that served as a beverage station.
Eagle-eyed observers noticed the vent grille was dark and covered in what looks like dirt or dust.
The Chamber of Commerce gathering marks the first major event of Mar-a-Lago’s winter season. And already, the club’s reputation is taking a pummeling.
“Oh dear lord. The decor is repulsive,” read one social media comment attached with photos of the zoomed-in vent.
Another reaction read, “Gross, mold on the vents? All the gold in the world can’t eliminate the mold emanating from that hellscape.”
A second user typed, “Have you seen their list of health violations? The air vents aren’t the only things that are filthy.”
A January 2017 inspection uncovered 13 violations. This included improperly prepared fish that had “not undergone proper parasite destruction,” and coolers left in disrepair.
The president’s golf courses have faced similar demerits, further fueling ridicule of his crumbling image.
This summer, a health inspection at Trump National Golf Club Washington, D.C., cited flies swarming near uncooked meat, along with roaches. The food was kept at temperatures that could breed illness-causing bacteria, and the kitchen contained pesticides.
Last year, a former employee at Trump’s Bedminster golf club went on record, alleging that management overlooked several health concerns, including contamination issues and a “C” rating.
In a lawsuit, the former manager alleges the club pushed her out after she repeatedly spoke out about the infractions.
Others who weighed in on the photo criticized Trump’s decor style, which now extends beyond Mar-a-Lago to Washington.
“This must be the ‘golden age’ of America Trump is talking about,” a third heckler remarked.
Trump returned to office in January 2025. Within months of his second term, he began outfitting the Oval Office with gold trimmings.
The White House makeover has since included the Presidential Walk of Fame, featuring portraits of past presidents and ongoing construction of Trump’s ballroom complex.
Trump also paved over the Rose Garden and built a granite helipad on the South Lawn.
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