Donald Trump’s visit to New York for UFC fight cost taxpayers $250k

Freshly uncovered records show the American people stumped up more than $250,000 so former President Donald Trump could watch a fight in Madison Square Garden in 2019 with his family.

The 2 November overnight jaunt to New York was so the president could watch the Ultimate Fighting Championship in person, marking the first time a sitting president went to an MMA event on a trip lasting a little over 16 hours.

Federal documents, seen by The New York Daily News, state that the total was $252,567.51 but a significant part is believed to be redacted so could be much higher.

Accompanying him were his sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr, and UFC President Dana White, who threw his support behind the president.

Among the Republican politicians who made the trip with him was current Senate Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. During this time, the president was under investigation for his first round of impeachment charges for his activities in Ukraine. His second impeachment in 2021 came after the 6 January insurrection on charges of incitement of violence. McCarthy did not support either impeachment.

The vast cost came from the spur of the moment impulse of Mr Trump to attend the event. According to the documents, the Secret Service only had one week to find accommodation, accounting for the trip’s high price at $224,212. Additionally, it was the same period as the annual New York Marathon.

Emails between agents read, “Things could change some. I don't have any information about hotels yet.”

Hotels the agents stayed in varied from the Intercontinental, Park Avenue’s The Royalton and the Marriot Marquis in Times Square among other luxury hotels.

The president himself stayed at Trump Tower, and he needed Secret Agents to patrol the vicinity, which was reported to cost $6,350.

Mr Trump was well known for taking expensive leisure trips, such as multiple golf trips, which according to The Washington Post cost the public $64 million in the first two years of his term, however, it concluded the real cost was a “mystery” and most likely a lot higher.

The Independent reached out to Donald Trump’s representatives for comment.

Read More

Can Trump run again in 2024 election?

What is the ‘Havana syndrome’? Inside the creepy ‘directed energy’ attacks on US diplomats

China says politics behind US call for virus origin probe