Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Neighbors ‘Upset’ by Local Impact of His Win

Residents close to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort are said to be “upset” at the prospect of the Republican’s election win further disrupting traffic in the area.
The coastal town of Palm Beach, Florida, is just over 10 miles long and features one major road, South Ocean Boulevard, which passes by Trump’s Sunshine State home.
The road has been partially closed recently as a security measure in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July, reported The Palm Beach Post. The closures severely impacted traffic and people’s ability to get around the town.
A deal was struck in August between Mar-a-Lago, Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to reopen the road when Trump was not at home for an extended period. Palm Beach Town Manager Kirk Blouin said there was an assumption that the barricades put in place on South Ocean Boulevard would be removed if Trump lost the election as “the threats would diminish.”
With Trump now returning to the White House next year, the road closures around Mar-a-Lago look set to remain in place each time the president-elect returns to his Palm Beach resort, resulting in continued traffic disruption.
“People are understandably upset,” Blouin told The Palm Beach Post. “Whether you’re a resident, business owner, employee in some fashion or visitors to the town, there’s a high probability you’re going to get stuck in traffic, particularly in the morning and evening rush hours.”
Reacting to the reports, Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service’s chief of communications, told Newsweek: “The president-elect has been receiving heightened Secret Service protection and this level of security will be maintained moving forward. While we cannot share specific details to ensure the integrity of our operations, family members and executive staff of the president-elect may also be afforded protection in accordance with federal law.
“Enhanced security measures around Palm Beach County, Florida, and New York City are also being coordinated. The Secret Service is committed to working with local partners in these cities to keep the community informed about any potential impacts to the public.”
Blouin said that the issue of the road closure near Mar-a-Lago looks likely to come up at next week’s Town Council meeting, adding that many local residents have said they are “frustrated” at the disruption.
Trump visited Mar-a-Lago multiple times while in office between 2017 and 2021.
The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) group reported in August 2020 that Trump visited the Palm Beach resort at least 134 times while president.
The resort was even dubbed the “Winter White House” during Trump’s term in office.
Trump continued to use Mar-a-Lago as a political base for his 2024 campaign, including giving press conferences from there.
The resort made national headlines in August 2022 when the FBI searched the property for classified documents which Trump removed from the White House in January 2021.
Trump later pleaded not guilty to charges related to his alleged mishandling of classified materials and his attempt to obstruct the government from retrieving them.
The federal investigation, led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, is said to be winding down following Trump’s election win, along with the probe into the events which led up to the January 6, 2021, attack.
Not only can a sitting president not be prosecuted for a crime under Department of Justice policy, but Trump could remove Smith and order the DOJ to drop both cases once he takes office.
Update 11/10/24, 9:05 a.m. ET: This article ahs been updated with comment Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service chief of communications.