History of Mar-a-Lago in Timeline

Mar-a-Lago is a resort and National Historic Landmark in Palm Beach, Florida, encompassing 126 rooms within 62,500 square feet on 17 acres. Acquired by Donald Trump in 1985, it served as his residence and private club. Its prominence grew as Trump became the 45th and 47th President of the United States, hosting numerous political events and foreign dignitaries, which resulted in some security concerns. It is a symbol of luxury and power, often in the media due to its association with Trump and the controversies surrounding his presidency and post-presidency activities.

April 1944: Mar-a-Lago turned into training center

In April 1944, Mar-a-Lago was converted into a training center for returning servicemen.

December 23, 1980: Property returned to the Post Foundation

On December 23, 1980, due to high maintenance costs and security concerns, Congress passed act 96-586 returning the Mar-a-Lago property to the Post Foundation after Marjorie Merriweather Post's death in 1973 and subsequent bequest to the National Park Service.

1993: Agreement with Palm Beach to Turn Residence into Private Club

In 1993, Trump and the city of Palm Beach signed an agreement that allowed Trump to turn the residence into a private club.

1993: Use Agreement Signed

In 1993, Trump signed a "use agreement" with the town of Palm Beach, Florida, that changed Mar-a-Lago's designation from a single-family residence to a private club.

1995: First Lawsuit Filed and Settled

In 1995, Trump first filed a lawsuit regarding airport noise, which was settled in 1996 with the county agreeing to collaborate with the FAA and change flight patterns.

1995: Mar-a-Lago Club Opens

In 1995, the Mar-a-Lago Club opened as a resort and hotel for dues-paying members, also renting venues for private events, which allows Trump to reduce his tax bill.

November 1996: Council Denies Trump's Request to Lift Restrictions

In November 1996, Trump asked the Palm Beach council to lift restrictions on media photography, filmmaking, land sales, membership, and traffic at the Mar-a-Lago club, but the council denied the request.

1996: Settlement Reached and Golf Club Built

In 1996, a settlement was reached with the county, leading to Trump leasing land and building the Trump International Golf Club.

December 1997: Trump Files Discrimination Lawsuit Against Palm Beach

In December 1997, Trump filed a lawsuit alleging that the town discriminated against him and his club because it accepted Jewish and African-American members.

February 12, 2000: Photograph with Epstein and Maxwell

On February 12, 2000, a photograph was taken at Mar-a-Lago featuring Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Trump's future wife, Melania.

2005: Trump Receives Insurance Payment for Hurricane Damage

In 2005, Trump received a $17 million insurance payment for hurricane damage to Mar-a-Lago after the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season.

October 3, 2006: Flagpole Dispute with Palm Beach

On October 3, 2006, Trump raised a large American flag at Mar-a-Lago, leading to a dispute with Palm Beach zoning officials over flagpole height, resulting in fines and a lawsuit that was later settled with a shorter pole and donation to veterans' charities.

2007: Jeffrey Epstein expelled from the Mar-a-Lago club

In 2007 Jeffrey Epstein was expelled from the Mar-a-Lago club "after Epstein harassed the daughter of a member".

July 2010: Lawsuit to Stop Airport Construction

In July 2010, Trump filed another lawsuit aiming to stop the airport from constructing a second commercial runway, but the suit was dismissed.

2011: Mar-a-Lago valuation discrepancy in 2011

In 2011, Palm Beach County assessed Mar-a-Lago's value between $18 million and $27.6 million, while Trump's financial statements valued it between $427 million and $627 million, leading to a discrepancy as part of an alleged scheme.

April 18, 2012: Mar-a-Lago Ranked Fifth on Florida Architecture List

On April 18, 2012, Mar-a-Lago was ranked fifth on the Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places list by the American Institute of Architects' Florida chapter.

2012: Initiation Fee Lowered to $100,000

In 2012, the Mar-a-Lago Club lowered its initiation fee to $100,000, reportedly in response to reduced demand following the Bernie Madoff scandal.

2013: 51 Health Code Violations Since 2013

Since 2013, Mar-a-Lago has faced 51 health code violations.

January 2015: Trump Sues County for Airport Noise

In January 2015, Trump filed a lawsuit against the county seeking $100 million in damages for airport noise, emissions, and pollutants at Mar-a-Lago.

November 2015: Judge Rules Against Trump in Airport Noise Lawsuit

In November 2015, a Florida Circuit Court judge ruled against most of Trump's arguments in the airport noise lawsuit.

January 2017: Mar-a-Lago Membership Near Maximum Capacity

As of January 2017, the Mar-a-Lago club was nearly at its maximum capacity of 500 paying members, admitting twenty to forty new members a year, including various prominent figures.

January 2017: Health Code Violations Noted at Mar-a-Lago

In January 2017, Florida inspectors noted 15 health code infractions at Mar-a-Lago, including unsafe seafood and insufficiently refrigerated meats, which were corrected on site.

January 2017: Exemption from Helicopter Landing Ban

In January 2017, Palm Beach exempted Mar-a-Lago from a ban on landing helicopters on residential properties while Trump was president.

January 2017: Initiation Fee Returned to $200,000 After Trump Election

In January 2017, after Trump was elected president, the Mar-a-Lago Club's initiation fee returned to $200,000, with $14,000 annual dues.

February 2017: Trump Considers Club Members for Ambassadorships

In February 2017, it was reported that Trump was considering at least three Mar-a-Lago club members for ambassadorships.

February 2017: Temporary Flight Restrictions Due to Trump's Residency

In February 2017, when President Trump was in residence, the Palm Beach region experienced temporary flight restrictions, severely affecting flights and air operations within a 30 nautical mile radius. The Coast Guard and Secret Service secured waterway approaches, and streets were cordoned off during the president's visits. Nearby Palm Beach County Park Airport faced significant financial losses due to shutdowns.

August 2017: Nonprofits Cancel Events After Charlottesville Remarks

In August 2017, following Trump's remarks on the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, six nonprofit organizations, including the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society, canceled scheduled gala events at the Mar-a-Lago club.

March 30, 2019: Yujing Zhang Arrested for Unlawful Entry

On March 30, 2019, Yujing Zhang, a Chinese national, was arrested and charged with unlawful entry to the Mar-a-Lago premises and making false statements.

September 2019: Mar-a-Lago Becomes Trump's Primary Residence

In September 2019, Mar-a-Lago became the primary residence for Donald and Melania Trump, leading to disputes over the legality due to a 1993 agreement.

December 2019: Chinese Nationals Arrested for Trespassing

In December 2019, Chinese nationals were arrested for trespassing at Mar-a-Lago.

March 7, 2020: Trump hosts Bolsonaro for working dinner

On March 7, 2020, President Trump hosted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for a working dinner at Mar-a-Lago. They discussed ousting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a future trade deal, and peace in the Middle East. Other attendees included Mike Pence, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Bolsonaro's press secretary later tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to Brazil.

March 11, 2020: Bolsonaro's press secretary tests positive for COVID-19

On March 11, 2020, it was reported that Fabio Wajngarten, Jair Bolsonaro's press secretary, tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a working dinner at Mar-a-Lago on March 7, 2020, with Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

December 2020: Neighbors Demand Trump Not Use Estate as Residence

In December 2020, neighbors of Mar-a-Lago delivered a demand letter stating that Trump cannot use the estate as his residence.

2020: Details of Epstein's Membership Revealed in 'The Grifter's Club'

In 2020, the book "The Grifter's Club" revealed that Jeffrey Epstein had been a member of the Mar-a-Lago club until 2007.

January 2021: Trump Transports Presidential Records to Mar-a-Lago

In January 2021, upon departing the White House, Trump transported a large volume of presidential records to Mar-a-Lago, despite the Presidential Records Act.

2021: Mar-a-Lago valuation discrepancy in 2021

In 2021, Palm Beach County assessed Mar-a-Lago's value between $18 million and $27.6 million, while Trump's financial statements valued it between $427 million and $627 million, leading to a discrepancy as part of an alleged scheme to both lower insurance premiums and to get favorable loan terms.

2021: Palm Beach Attorney Concludes Trump Can Reside at Club

In 2021, Palm Beach's attorney concluded that Palm Beach's zoning code allowed employees to reside at private clubs and Trump was an employee.

January 2022: National Archives Retrieves Classified Material

In January 2022, the National Archives and Records Administration arranged to retrieve 15 boxes of material, including classified documents, from Mar-a-Lago, prompting DOJ restrictions.

May 11, 2022: Justice Department Subpoena for Classified Documents

On May 11, 2022, the Justice Department sent Trump a grand jury subpoena, requesting any additional documents marked classified.

August 8, 2022: FBI Search of Mar-a-Lago

On August 8, 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence as part of an investigation into the potential mishandling of classified documents.

August 2022: Woman Posing as Heiress Frequents Mar-a-Lago

In August 2022, it was reported that a Ukrainian-born Russian speaker, using a fake name and claiming to be a Rothschild family heiress, had frequented Mar-a-Lago over a year's time.

November 8, 2022: Watch Party for 2022 United States Elections

On November 8, 2022, Mar-a-Lago hosted a watch party for Trump and close allies for the 2022 United States elections.

March 5, 2024: Watch party for Super Tuesday

On March 5, 2024, Mar-a-Lago hosted a watch party for Trump and close allies for Super Tuesday.

2024: Zijie Li Attempts to Enter Mar-a-Lago

In 2024, Chinese national Zijie Li attempted to enter the Mar-a-Lago property at least three times.

2024: Trump Hosts Events at Mar-a-Lago During Election Night

In 2024, on the night of the United States presidential election, Trump hosted an exclusive watch party and private dinners at Mar-a-Lago, attended by family, friends, club members, and foreign political figures, while his official watch party was hosted elsewhere. Following his election, Mar-a-Lago became the base for the second presidential transition of Donald Trump.