According to the Miami Herald, Mar a Lago is the place to go if you want food poisoning. According to Elon Musk, it might as well be the billionaire’s new home. According to Trump himself, it’s the best place on Earth.
In a social media post leading up to a New Year’s Eve party at the infamous Florida resort, Donald Trump declared that Mar a Lago estate is the “center of the universe,” bragging that “Bill Gates asked to come tonight.” He then followed up with “New Year’s Eve is going to be AMAZING!!!” with all the enthusiasm of a 15 year old talking up their own birthday party. It’s uncertain whether or not Bill Gates actually showed up.
For better or for worse, Mar a Lago has been called the “Southern White House” in recent years. Trump reportedly took multiple trips to the estate during his first presidency, each of which cost around $3 million every time, and is expected to begin his second term as president there as well. While residing at the estate, Trump has received numerous visits from the movers and shakers of the modern era. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have paid visits to the place, and former Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe visited the estate just days after numerous health violations stemming from rotten fish were reported. The resort has been frequented by entertainers as well, and former Beach Boys member Mike Love reportedly sang at Mar a Lago the weekend before New Year’s Eve – to the disappointment of Beach Boys fans the world over.
When not being serenaded by disgraced boy band members, Trump reportedly DJs the events himself. He has a tablet next to him cued up to Spotify, and he uses it to play many of the songs featured at his rallies. “YMCA” is a frequent play, and Trump’s unironic use of the gay anthem has been approved by Village People lead singer Victor Willis.
Of Mar a Lago’s many guests, there are few that have been as constant as Space X CEO Elon Musk, who has reportedly been dropping two grand a night to stay at a cottage on the property. In the lead up to Trump’s second term in office, Musk appears to be attempting to become Trump’s literal right hand man, and has hardly left the president elect’s side. Trump’s granddaughter Kai wrote on X that Musk is such a frequent face at Mar a Lago that he is “achieving uncle status.”
Others believe that Musk’s frequent stop-offs at Mar a Lago are more than just an attempt to play house. According to sources at Mar a Lago, Musk is is reportedly attempting to further ingratiate himself into Trump’s administration. He has sat in on calls between Trump and world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. These insiders also suggest that Musk is overstaying his welcome, and his frequent attempts to carry himself as “co-president” and take “credit for [Trump’s] victory” are getting on people’s nerves.
While Musk is likely the most persistent of Trump’s hangers-on, he’s far from the only one. At a news conference, the president-elect bragged of Mar a Lago’s popularity, saying “everybody wants to be my friend.” According to Trump himself, it’s a 180 from how he was treated during his first term. “The top executives, the top bankers, they’re all calling,” said Trump of Mar a Lago’s attendees, “it’s like a complete opposite.” The resort is sure to stay busy for length of Trump’s term, so long as no one tries the fish.
Published: Jan 3, 2025 04:23 am