Trump-Abe trip to Florida raises ethical questions


After a friendly meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the White House on Friday, President Trump along with first lady Melania Trump, Abe, and Japanese first lady Akie Abe flew to Florida to spend the weekend together at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. The two couples were joined by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft for dinner Friday, and on Saturday the two first ladies took a guided garden tour while their husbands played golf.
Though Trump has invited the Abes to stay at the Mar-a-Lago at his own expense rather than asking taxpayers to foot the bill, the trip has still raised ethical questions. "Hosting a foreign leader at the president's business resort creates impossible sets of conflicts," said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, a watchdog organization. "Why should you go to a resort in Florida? Fine, you want to go to a resort in Florida? Don't go to one Trump's family owns."
Typically, U.S. presidents wishing to spend a weekend with foreign leaders repair to Camp David, the presidential retreat in rural Maryland.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump tweeted Saturday about the Florida trip, expressing his pleasure at hosting the Abes, with whom he has said he is developing a "great friendship." He is expected to continue hosting world leaders at the Mar-a-Lago, which his administration has dubbed the "winter White House."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
Grilled radicchio with caper and anchovy sauce recipe
The Week Recommends Smoky twist on classic Italian flavours is perfect to grill, drizzle and devour
-
What we know about Iran's nuclear programme
In the Spotlight The global nuclear watchdog has declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years
-
Crossword: June 21, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores