House Democrats say Trump overcharged Secret Service at DC hotel
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A new report by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee highlights how Donald Trump's hotel charged the Secret Service rates up to 300% or more above the authorized federal government rates.
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A view of Trump International Hotel is seen on March 4, 2021 in Washington. (AP)
A new report by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee claims that during his presidency, Donald Trump overcharged Secret Service agents for accommodations at his DC hotel, treating the agency "as an ATM."
The report details the extracting of "exorbitant rates his hotel imposed while Secret Service agents protected him, his children, and even foreign leaders whose own payments while being received by Trump violated the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause."
It also highlights that Trump’s hotel charged the Secret Service rates up to 300% or more above the authorized federal government rates, significantly more than what other guests, including members of a foreign royal family and a Chinese business interest, were charged.
The report emphasizes the need to ensure that taxpayer funds allocated to the Secret Service are used solely for its protective missions and not to "violate the Constitution by lining the president’s pockets."
It examines payments made by federal and state officials staying at the hotel, as well as individuals who allegedly sought federal jobs and presidential pardons during the Trump administration.
The Secret Service has come under scrutiny following failures that contributed to the attempted assassination of the former president during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
A bullet fired by the assailant grazed Trump’s right ear, injuring him, while the shooter also killed one audience member and wounded two others.
An independent panel that reviewed the assassination attempt released a report on Thursday, highlighting "deep problems" within the Secret Service and warning that another assassination attempt is likely to happen again unless significant reforms are implemented.
US Secret Service struggling to maintain staff: NYT
The US Secret Service lost about a fifth of its experienced agents by 2024, with the remaining personnel overworked, underpaid, improperly educated, and without the newest technology, The New York Times reported.
Kimberly Cheatle, the Secret Service Director, resigned in July after a close call that almost resulted in the assassination of former President and current Republican contender Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"The service was not ready," the NYT said on Thursday.
The attempt on Trump's life "revealed deep problems in the Secret Service," ranging from a lack of technology to "failures in command" and communication. For example, the Butler shooter researched the site with a drone, but the protective detail lacked one and their radios did not function correctly.
The NYT said the most serious issue has been "an exodus of the best-trained people," citing current and former agency workers. At least 1,400 of the Secret Service's 7,800 personnel left between fiscal years 2022 and 2023, marking the worst loss in two decades.
While the agency's personnel had grown to 8,100, its greatest level ever, by this summer, it still fell short of the numbers it stated it required. Concerns were raised about new personnel's health, as well as issues with how and where to train them.
The major training site is so "decrepit" that it frequently floods after heavy rains, according to the NYT.
The primary reason most veterans gave for quitting was "crushing amounts of overtime work," often for no compensation, due to a government wage ceiling. In a poll done by a federal police group, 68 of the 153 agents who replied stated they had "maxed out" on overtime last year, losing up to $30,000 in salary.
"You ride your horse until it dies, and then you eat it," Jonathan Wackrow, who left the Secret Service after 14 years, told the NYT of management's attitude toward its employees.
Another former agent, Louis Fitzig, stated that "nepotism, favoritism, [and] corruption" are intertwined in the agency's culture.
Meanwhile, a plan to compensate for attrition by rehiring recently departed agents failed catastrophically, as agents raced to retire early so they could get both a pension and an income while avoiding serving in the field where bodies were most needed.
