Mar-a-Lago could be underwater by 2100, thanks to Trump pulling out of Paris accord


President Trump and his aides won't really say if Trump believes in climate change, following his decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord, but the melting polar ice caps probably don't care much what Trump thinks. "The president's Mar-a-Lago estate, the soaring apartment towers bearing his name on Miami-area beaches, and his Doral golf course are all threatened by rising seas, according to projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the South Florida Regional Climate Change Compact," The Associated Press reports.
If sea levels rise 2 to 3 feet by 2100, as scientists believe they might, Mar-a-Lago's western lawns will be underwater, as will roads and bridges connecting Trump's private club, built on a Florida barrier island, to the mainland. Using a worst-case rise of 6 feet, more likely without U.S. meeting or exceeding its now-abandoned Paris emissions targets, Mar-a-Lago will be below sea level, along with more than half of the other $11 million-plus homes in Palm Beach.
Trump's "properties live off of tourism — golfing communities, places where fat cats go and spend money and hobnob," Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason, a Republican, tells AP. "If the beaches are gone or the streets are flooded, it's going to affect the value of his property," he adds. "So as a prudent businessman, he ought to conclude that the science is right and we need to prepare and plan." Trump's resorts and golf courses in Hawaii, Ireland, Canada, Panama, Uruguay, and Mumbai, India, are also vulnerable to rising sea levels. You can learn more about the threats to Trump's Florida properties in this report from AP's Alex Sanz. Peter Weber
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Trump reignites Jan. 6 furor by awarding military honors to killed rioter
IN THE SPOTLIGHT With military funeral honors for Ashli Babbitt, the president makes good on campaign promises designed to animate his political base while relitigating history
-
'Is it OK to be happy when the world is falling apart?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Will online age checks doom internet freedom?
Today's Big Question Or do they protect children from harm?
-
New York court tosses Trump's $500M fraud fine
Speed Read A divided appeals court threw out a hefty penalty against President Trump for fraudulently inflating his wealth
-
Trump said to seek government stake in Intel
Speed Read The president and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan reportedly discussed the proposal at a recent meeting
-
US to take 15% cut of AI chip sales to China
Speed Read Nvidia and AMD will pay the Trump administration 15% of their revenue from selling artificial intelligence chips to China
-
NFL gets ESPN stake in deal with Disney
Speed Read The deal gives the NFL a 10% stake in Disney's ESPN sports empire and gives ESPN ownership of NFL Network
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance
-
Tesla reports plummeting profits
Speed Read The company may soon face more problems with the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year