Bum deal: US government pays $3,000 a month for Ivanka Trump's security guards to use the toilet

The US government has been paying $3,000 a month so that Secret Service agents guarding Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner can use a toilet.

Overall, the cost of providing a bathroom for the protective detail near the couple's home has added up to more than $100,000 during the course of Donald Trump's presidency.

Mr Trump's daughter and son-in-law live in $5.5 million gleaming white, six-bedroom colonial home in Kalorama, a leafy Washington suburb five miles from the US Capitol.

Barack and Michelle Obama live just around the corner in a nine-bedroom mansion.

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The White House said the Kushners were more than happy for Secret Service agents to use one of their six bathrooms, but a decision was taken by the Secret Service itself not to.

Whatever the reason, agents initially had a portable toilet positioned on the pavement outside, but that annoyed neighbours.

They then began sharing a toilet in a garage at the Obamas' house, which was not used by the former first family and had been turned into a command post by their Secret Service detail.

In September 2017 the Secret Service decided to rent a basement studio with an ensuite bathroom belonging to one of the Kushners' neighbours.

Kay Kendall, the neighbour, told the Washington Post: "I think it was very clear that they just needed a place to take a shower, take a break, use the facilities, have lunch. I’m happy to be able to have helped them.”

Records from the US government's General Services Administration showed a four-year lease was taken on the basement, adding up to $144,000.

A White House spokesman said it was not the Kushners' decision.

He said: "Ivanka and Jared made clear that their home would always be open to the incredible men and women on their detail. It was only after a decision by the Secret Service was made that their detail sought other accommodations.

“The Kushners have a tremendous amount of respect for the servicemen and women on their detail and for the Secret Service as a whole.

"Their home will always be open to them and they have immense gratitude for their service over the last four years.”

A Secret Service spokesman said it would not comment on the "resources utilised to carry out our protective mission."

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