Trump proposes converting West Palm Beach golf club into a presidential retreat

A lawyer for Trump International Golf Club sent a September letter to the Palm Beach County Board seeking official sanctuary status for the property.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 07 Oct 2026 20:16:06 GMT

President Donald Trump has asked Palm Beach County officials to designate a portion of his West Palm Beach golf club as a permanent presidential retreat, modeled on Camp David, according to a letter from the club’s lawyer.

What happened

The proposal was outlined in a letter sent in September by Harvey Oyer, legal counsel for Trump International Golf Club, to the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners. The letter requests that the county, which owns the land on which the course sits, designate part of the private club as a "U.S. Presidential Golf Course" that would host foreign leaders, future presidents and serve as a venue for international summits. Oyer also indicated that Trump International would fund the construction of a lodging facility at the site, with design input from the General Services Administration and the Secret Service.

What the reports add

Yahoo News reported that the plan includes offering "comped" memberships to future presidents and that the retreat would be a permanent, official sanctuary for foreign leaders. The Independent added that the West Palm Beach course opened in 1999 as the first Trump‑operated golf property and that the proposed lodging would be built at the club’s expense.

What was said

Harvey Oyer wrote, "Just as Camp David, Windsor Castle, or the Élysée Palace are known worldwide, so too will the Presidential Golf Course in Palm Beach County," as quoted by both Yahoo News and the Independent.

How it came about

The idea follows President Trump’s recent focus on reshaping presidential symbols, including his earlier use of Camp David for a senior‑team meeting on October 4, 2026 (Felo coverage). The proposal also arrives amid broader efforts to link Trump’s personal enterprises with official functions, a pattern noted in prior Felo reports on his Camp David trip in September and his memecoin events in October.

Key facts

Harvey Oyer, lawyer for Trump International Golf Club, sent a September letter to Palm Beach County officials proposing a presidential retreat at the club. (news.yahoo.com)
The proposal seeks to designate part of the West Palm Beach golf club as a U.S. Presidential Golf Course for foreign leaders and future presidents. (independent.co.uk)
Trump International would fund a lodging facility at the site, with design cooperation from the GSA and Secret Service. (independent.co.uk)
The West Palm Beach course opened in 1999 as the first Trump‑operated golf property. (independent.co.uk)
The plan includes offering complimentary memberships to future presidents. (news.yahoo.com)