Secret Service paid tens of thousands to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club: report

The U.S. Secret Service reportedly paid President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort at least $63,000 over the course of several months.

CNN reported that the majority of the payments happened between February and April, according to documents obtained by the network.

On government expense forms, these costs were seen as hotel costs and range from $1,300 to $11,050.

The purpose of the money was not specified, according to CNN, but the money could have been used for rooms agents rented or for space that was leased.

Trump frequently visited his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., in the months after his inauguration.

According to CNN, some of the payments from Secret Service appear to be at the same time that Trump was at his club.

Critics say that the payments from Secret Service could violate the emoluments clause.

“The president risks violating the domestic emoluments clause if his company is making money off of the Secret Service,” Richard Painter, the former White House ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush, told CNN.

“To avoid that, Mar-a-Lago should either charge Secret Service a rate federal employees are authorized to pay for a hotel room under ordinary circumstances or not charge at all.”

Trump has long faced scrutiny over his connections to his family business.

According to a report last month, the government paid more than $1,000 for an official to stay at Mar-a-Lago.