(NewsNation) — Properties owned by former President Donald Trump repeatedly charged Secret Service members “exorbitant” hotel room rates, with records indicating a total of $1.4 million in taxpayer dollars, according to a report released by the House Oversight Committee Monday.
Committee records showed the Secret Service spent as much as $1,185 a night at Trump-owned properties in the U.S. much higher than the government-set per diem rate.
Documents show the former president’s company billed the Secret Service at rates higher than the per diem at least 40 times during his presidential term, to a total of $1.4 million, with the committee indicating those records are not complete.
“The exorbitant rates charged to the Secret Service and agents’ frequent stays at Trump-owned properties raise significant concerns about the former President’s self-dealing and may have resulted in a taxpayer-funded windfall for former President Trump’s struggling businesses,” wrote U.S. Rep Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the committee chairperson, in a statement.
Since February 2020 the committee has been seeking records from the Secret Service about spending at the former presidents’ properties, though it has yet to compile a full list of all expenditures, according to the report.
Maloney asked Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to comply with the committee’s requests for such data by the end of the month.
In response, the president’s son Eric Trump, who is the Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, wrote in part, “…any services rendered to the United States Secret Service or other government agencies at Trump owned properties, were at their request and were either provided at cost, heavily discounted or for free. The company would have been substantially better off if hospitality services were sold to full-paying guests, however, the company did whatever it took to accommodate the agencies to ensure they were able to do their jobs at the highest levels — they are amazing men and women.”