Several embassies of the United States would like you to know about Mar-a-Lago. The one in the United Kingdom is promoting Trump's extravagant resort on its website. The one in Albania, meanwhile, is promoting the place on its Facebook page. Have you heard of Mar-a-Lago? Perhaps you have.
Mar-a-Lago is the Florida estate purchased in 1985 by President Donald Trump and owned by The Trump Organization. He visits it often, and did so many times during the colder months of early 2017. He tried to make the phrase "winter White House" a thing.
Mar-a-Lago is not just a place for the president, though. It's also a place for anyone who can cough up $200,000 for the privilege of Mar-a-Lagoing alongside other rich folks who like warmth and suffocating amounts of humidity.
Some have said it's a bit odd for the U.S. government to promote a private resort whose owner (The Trump Organization, run by Trump's two oldest sons) makes juicy stacks of cash when people purchase a membership there.
Here a just a few observations following the news:
As the WH plans deep cuts to hunger programs and foreign aid, so nice to see taxpayer money being used responsibly...to promote Mar-a-Lago. http://pic.twitter.com/tuTpjaYyLu
— Mark Takano (@RepMarkTakano) April 24, 2017
The US Embassy is now listing Mar-a-Lago as the "winter WH" with subtle attempts to normalize by claiming house was built for presidents https://t.co/tR7T60nJHu
— I swear (@DestaSheree) April 24, 2017
The promotion is the same on both the U.K. embassy's website and the Albanian embassy's Facebook page, and appears to originate with Share America, a State Department "platform for sharing compelling stories and images that spark discussion and debate on important topics like democracy, freedom of expression, innovation, entrepreneurship, education, and the role of civil society."
Merriam-Webster defines kleptocracy as "government by those who seek chiefly status and personal gain at the expense of the governed."
We've reached out to both embassies and the State Department for comment. Have a nice week, everyone.