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UP FRONTThursday 28 December 2017
Trump, in Washington, stays close to home
President Donald Trump speaks to first responders at West Palm Beach Fire Rescue, Wednesday, By JILL COLVIN buzz and earning revenue.
Dec. 27, 2017, in West Palm Beach, Fla. President Trump who is spending the holidays at his private Associated Press But most often, Trump, who
Mar-a-Lago estate and club in Florida thanked the firefighters for their service. WASHINGTON (AP) — Af- is known to prefer well-
ter living in Washington for done steaks with ketchup
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) nearly a year, President to snootier fare, chooses to
Donald Trump has yet to eat in.
enjoy a single non-working “I love the food in the White
meal at a restaurant that House.
doesn’t pay him rent. He The White House is the
hasn’t taken in a perfor- greatest restaurant, it’s the
mance at the Kennedy most beautiful,” he told the
Center; hasn’t been to Larry O’Connor radio show
a sporting event; hasn’t last month. “They do such a
toured most of the sights. beautiful job.”
It’s one of the peculiarities Trump took office as argu-
of the Trump presidency ably the most prepared of
and one of a long list of recent presidents for the
ways in which he’s chang- constraints of living and
ing the office, as well as its working in the White House
relationship with Washing- and its Secret Service-
ton. enforced security bubble,
“I would say that Trump having spent decades en-
has been the least pres- sconced at Trump Tower in
ent of any of the most re- New York.
cent presidents,” said Phil “The reason my hair looks
Mendelson, chairman of so neat all the time is be-
the Washington, D.C., City cause I don’t have to deal
Council and a Democrat- with the elements. I live in
ic member of the council the building where I work.
since 1999. I take an elevator from my
It’s not just restaurants, bedroom to my office. The
says Mendelson. Trump rest of the time, I’m either
has been less engaged in my stretch limousine, my
on the local charity circuit private jet, my helicopter,
than other recent presi- or my private club in Palm
dents, with no stops at lo- Beach Florida,” he once
cal food banks or to help wrote.
elementary school reading Not much has changed —
drives. First lady Melania though the house, plane
Trump has been venturing and helicopter are now
out more often, appearing taxpayer-paid.
with Jordan’s Queen Rania Trump’s homebody ways
at a girls’ charter school, at- mark a dramatic shift from
tending a holiday toy drive his predecessor, who rel-
sponsored by the military ished the renaissance in
and visiting with patients the D.C. dining scene. The
and staff at Children’s Na- Obamas embraced Wash-
tional hospital. ington, sampling its hottest
But the homebody presi- restaurants, from high-end
dent rarely goes out — and to low brow, and provid-
when he does it’s almost ing coveted buzz to eater-
always to properties that ies like celebrity chef José
bear his name. Andrés’ small plates restau-
Trump has spent at least rant Oyamel Cocina Mexi-
part of more than 100 days cana and Danny Meyer’s
of his presidency at proper- Shake Shack.
ties he owns — taking win- During the 2014 govern-
ter weekends at his private ment shutdown, Obama
Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and Vice President Joe
and summer weekends in Biden made a run to Tay-
Bedminster, New Jersey, or lor Gourmet sandwich
at his Virginia golf club. shop, which was offering
Those weekends that he discounts for government
does spend in Washington, workers. And when it was
Trump has dined at just one time to signal an attempt-
restaurant: BLT Prime in the ed reset in relations with
Trump International Hotel, Russia, Obama treated
which opened last year just Russian President Dmi-
a few blocks from the White try Medvedev to a burg-
House. Trump’s visits have ers and fries at Ray’s Hell
thrilled the tourists who Burger in nearby Arlington,
flock to the hotel, building Virginia.q
