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Government travel expenses for President Barack Obama and his family totaled $105,662,975, according to records obtained from the Secret Service by a government watchdog group.
One trip to Martha's Vineyard, in August 2016, racked up $2,512,380.88 in hotel bills, said Judicial Watch, which obtained the records via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit.
“It is troubling to see such massive amounts of money paid out for trips that appear to have minimal value to the public interest,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “And it is frustrating to have file multiple FOIA lawsuits and engage in long-running court battles to get basic information about the costs of presidential travel.”
The records show President Donald Trump’s travel expenses total slightly over $4 million.
Expenses for Obama family travels include:
- Michelle Obama’s trip to Morocco cost $128,108.47 in hotels; $88,725.60 in car rentals; $1,476.07 in gas/oil and $972.22 in cell phone charges for a total of $244,218.01.
- Michelle Obama’s trip to Liberia cost $55,220 in hotels; $44,000 in car rentals; $2,500 in gas/oil and $1,000 in cell phone charges for a total of $107,890.
- Michelle Obama’s trip to Spain cost $79,764.49 in hotels; $81,750.99 in car rentals and $4,547 in staff overtime pay for a total of $166,062.48.
- Obama’s November 2016 appearance at a Clinton campaign rally in Orlando cost $150,530.99 in hotels; $103,526.96 in air/rail; $11,588.76 in car rentals and $5,829 in equipment for a total of $271,467.71.
- Obama’s trip to Los Angeles in October 2016, which included two fundraisers and an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” cost $127,822 in hotels; $38,715 in air/rail; $24,326 in equipment and $4,992.30 in car rentals for a total of $195,855.
- Michelle Obama’s October 2016 appearance at a Clinton campaign rally in North Carolina cost $13,206 in hotels; $11,965 in air/rail and $1,331 in car rentals for a total of $26,502.
- The Obama family trip to Martha’s Vineyard in August 2016 cost $2,512,380.88 in hotels; $89,586.82 in rental cars; $53,234.69 in air/rail and $29,068.97 in miscellaneous expenditures for a total of $2,684,271.36.
- The Secret Service spent $1,862,230.74 on the Obamas’ final Christmas to Honolulu on the taxpayers’ dime: $1,765,583.12 on hotels and $96,647.62 on car rentals.
President Trump’s “Thank You Tour” between November 9 and December 12, 2016 cost $330,260.86 in hotels; $112,314 in air/rail; $14,340 in equipment and $18,563.44 in car rentals for a total of $475,478.30.
Trump visits to Mar-a-Lago between Feb. 3 and March 27, 2017 cost $1,474,726.03 in hotels (including $19,760 at Mar-a-Lago), $284,581.63 on car rentals; $1,791,768.33 on air/rail and $55,873.42 on supplies and services for a total of $3,606,949.41.
Judicial Watch previously released Air Force records showing Trump administration travel costs. The grand total for President Trump’s and Vice President Pence’s travel to date is $7,560,425.01.
Free Press International
