Pentagon moves forward on Trump Tower lease: report

Despite concerns raised by a House Democrat about the “appearance” of the White House leasing from a Trump property, the Pentagon is moving forward on a lease for a Trump Tower apartment.

The apartment will be used by personnel from the White House Military Office, the office responsible for protecting the nuclear “football” and providing secure communications for the president at all times.

The New York City apartment is privately owned and would not benefit President Trump or the Trump organization, according to a Defense Department letter obtained by Reuters. 

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In the letter, sent to Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), who sits on the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees and expressed concern about the “appearance” of leasing in Trump Tower, Defense Department official James MacStravic says that “lease negotiations have been with the owner’s representatives only.”

“We are not aware of any means through which the president would personally benefit from a government lease of this space,” he wrote, according to Reuters.

The letter also said that such arrangements are “typical of support provided” to U.S. presidents.

It is not clear if the government has similar arrangements at other Trump properties, such as his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where Trump often spends his weekends. He refers to the property as the “Winter White House” or the “Southern White House.”