PALM BEACH, Fla. — It's official: former President Donald Trump can continue living at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
Palm Beach town attorney John “Skip” Randolph determined that Trump qualifies as a "bona fide" employee of the Palm Beach resort and is therefore entitled to live there, according to the Sun Sentinel.
After reviewing a 1993 declaration of use agreement between Palm Beach, Trump and his Mar-a-Lago club, Randolph also determined that under the town’s zoning code, private clubs can provide living quarters for bona fide employees.
The definition of a club employee, as described in the zoning code, is:
“Employee means any person generally working onsite for the establishment and includes sole proprietors, partners, limited partners, corporate officers and the like.”
The issue of Trump's residence was discussed at a town meeting in February, during which councilmembers heard from two people who live near the resort.
“It would be near impossible to prove that Donald Trump is a bona fide employee of Mar-A-Lago, the social club, as defined in the town code,” said Simon Taylor, who lives in Palm Beach.
“It’s unmentionable for the town to prevent, the former president, now a private citizen to live at Mar-A-Lago,” said Mark Sanderson, who also lives in Palm Beach and is a member of the club.
In response to the matter, Trump’s attorney, John Marion IV, wrote to the town attorney explaining why the former president has a right to live at Mar-a-Lago.
Marion wrote:
“Importantly, while the Town could have specifically provided in the Agreement that the Owner could not reside on the property, it did not.”
“…President Trump does not use a guest suite when at MAL, he uses the ‘Owner’s Suite.”
Marion also addressed the meaning of bona fide employee.
Because Trump is the legal owner of Mar-a-Lago and is a corporate officer who oversees the property, “he is, therefore, a bona fide employee within the express terms of the Town’s Zoning Code. … He is clearly entitled to reside there.”
Marion provided a list detailing Trump’s duties as an employee. The list includes the following:
- Oversees the property
- Evaluates the performance of employees
- Suggests improvements relating to the operation of the club
- Review clubs’ financials
- Attends events held at the club and welcomes/thanks those attending
- Greets members and their guests as he sees them
- Recommends events to be held at the club
- Suggests candidates for membership
In 1985, Trump bought Mar-a-Lago from the Post Foundation and used the property as his private residence. The former president has been living at Mar-a-Lago since leaving the White House in January.
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