Trump: America's First Part-Time President
Credit: House Beautiful
November 20, 2016

Not long after the election, Trump aides started discussing arrangements for Trump to continue living in New York, commuting to a nice little shack in DC. You know the place...arches, plenty of bedrooms and baths. The world's most secure and expensive pied–à–terre.

Today, the New York Post published a story that Melania Trump will continue living in New York with young Barron Trump so he can finish out his school year. Somewhat understandable, if it weren't for the fact that the arrangements sound so...permanent.

Neither of the Trumps seem to care about the extraordinary costs trying to secure a huge glass and steel building in one of the busiest streets in one of the largest cities in the world. The air space over the area will need to be permanently closed. Shoppers will continue to have to have their bags checked at security just to visit Tiffany's. Having to go through checkpoints is a novelty for the folks now, but it's going to get tedious for Trump Tower tenants, quickly.

If tenants leave, will the US have to foot the bill for the empty space?

Speaking of space, one also can't help but wonder how much Trump will charge for leasing space to the Secret Service for security offices and check points. After all, Trump charges the Secret Service for flying with him on his plane—a practice that will end when he has to take Air Force One. If we can get him out of his plane with the gold-plated seat belt buckles.

Trump needs to stay in New York, since he evidently plans on continuing to manage his business. He met last week with partners from India who are obligingly increasing their business ties to the Trump empire, since Trump is now President. I noticed in the New York Times article that the Trump organization's spokeswoman specifically mentioned that Trump is "not going to have dealings in the day-to-day business of that organization."

The assurances that Trump won't be involved in the "day-to-day" running of the business, actually backs off from the Trump promise that he will have no contact with his business. Now, what we're really hearing is that Trump won't be there for the day-to-day stuff, but he is likely to be there for major decision making. Or meeting with business partners happy to invest more in Trump enterprises since he's now President.

Trump is, literally, going to be our first part-time President. One of the most important jobs of the land, requiring a massive commitment in time and focus...and Trump can't even be bothered to live full time in the White House. He certainly has no interest in divorcing himself from his business interests.

How many times did we hear complaints from conservatives about the Obamas taking a vacation? Can we expect to hear even a peep out of the same conservatives about a President who seems to think that being President is a simple 9-to-5 job, with maybe an occasional hour on the weekend?

This is extraordinary. This is unacceptable.

Update

We now know how much Trump will profit from renting space to the Secret Service. And yes, it is two empty floors of Trump Tower. At a cost of millions.

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