John,

With just days until Donald Trump is set to take office again, here’s a throwback to Trump’s first term: he made over 500 visits to his own properties, funneling taxpayer money into his businesses.

Before his first term, Trump swore he’d have no involvement with his businesses as president. But just weeks after taking office, he decided to pay one a visit, traveling to Mar-a-Lago for the first weekend in February 2017. The ambassadors of Switzerland, Hungary, Afghanistan, Italy, Denmark, Peru, Colombia and Sweden just happened to have had the same idea that weekend.

That was far from the last time Trump visited one of his businesses. It became a near constant practice during his first term, when foreign officials, special interest groups and others would gain access to the president and his administration through payments to businesses he profited from.

After saying during his campaign that he wouldn’t have time to leave the White House or play golf, Trump visited his properties 547 times while in office, paying 145 visits to Mar-a-Lago, 328 visits to his golf courses and 33 visits to the Trump hotel in Washington.

He also frequently brought other senior government officials along, sending a message to his administration (and those who would like to curry favor with it) that his properties are open to their business.

John, here’s why Mar-a-Lago is a national security risk.

Mar-a-Lago is where President Trump’s personal business interests and his presidential responsibilities intersect.

We know from Trump’s first term that the Secret Service rely in part on Mar-a-Lago security staff to screen visitors to the country club. The Secret Service stated that it was the responsibility of Mar-a-Lago, not the Secret Service, to determine who is granted access to the property.

That’s why national security experts say that Mar-a-Lago, where members and their friends and guests are free to roam the grounds, “presents a unique espionage risk.”

But another risk is what is happening when members get inside Mar-a-Lago. During Trump’s presidency, membership at Mar-a-Lago means access to the president. And meeting Trump at Mar-a-Lago enables members to conduct their business with the president with much less scrutiny than at the White House. Secret Service protection is designed to restrict access to the president, while Mar-a-Lago members are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for the opportunity to have access to the president.

The promise of access and less intrusive security measures for Mar-a-Lago allows members to gain inappropriate, and unfettered, access to the president, while also lining his pockets.

So who is capitalizing on their golf club memberships and Mar-a-Lago friendships to lobby the president to advance their own interests?

How much money is Trump making?

Is Trump prioritizing his bottom line over the interests of the American public?

Those are the questions that are raised when a president doesn't divest from his business interests, and instead uses his position as president to promote those interests—including by selling inside access.

Thank you,

CREW HQ