The U.S. Secret Service is reportedly in talks to rent out two vacant floors in Trump Tower. And the money to take over the space will likely come out of taxpayers’ pockets.
According to the New York Post, law enforcement officials say the Secret Service is looking to build a security command center in the building in order to protect the future first family while they live in New York City in the months following the inauguration.
The president-elect announced his wife, Melania, would not immediately move into the White House, as she will reportedly stay with their son Barron until he finishes out the current school year. Because of this, the Secret Service and NYPD will have to pay for a security setup in the building, which isn’t exactly unusual.
Any time a president and his family stays outside of the White House, the USSS pays for their officers’ lodging in nearby areas to properly monitor their safety. But what is unusual about this situation is that Donald Trump owns the building the officers will stay in, meaning the American people could be paying the president-elect to ensure his family’s protection.
The New York Post reports that the cost to rent out the two vacant floors in Trump Tower could be as high as $3 million annually.
