Iowa National Guard members stayed at Trump Turnberry, Scotland, resort now part of congressional investigation
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Iowa National Guard members stayed at Trump Turnberry, Scotland, resort now part of congressional investigation
Jason Clayworth, Des Moines Register, USA TODAY 3 hours ago About 40 Iowa National Guard members last year were bused about 23 miles from an airplane refueling stop in Scotland to room overnight at President Donald Trump’s Turnberry resort.
It’s one of at least four separate military stays at the resort that are being investigated by the House Oversight Committee to determine whether Trump improperly gained from U.S. military lodging at his properties.
The Iowa National Guard’s Sept. 21, 2018, stop was part of the group’s second trip to Kosovo for a training and partnership mission with the southeastern European country.
The group — along with a Des Moines Register reporter and photographer — landed at Glasgow Prestwick Airport. They were transported by bus about 23 miles to Trump Turnberry Scotland, a luxury resort that markets itself as having one of the top golf courses in the world with views of the Ayrshire Coastline.
The two Register journalists spent six days with the military group, mostly in Kosovo, where they chronicled the Guard's efforts to help train the Kosovo military. In Scotland, the Des Moines Register paid for two rooms at the Trump property at a cost of about $150 each. Guest rooms listed on the resort's site Wednesday cost between $356 and $702.
Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said in a statement to USA TODAY that Glasgow Prestwick Airport has been used as a stopover location since 2015 because of its 24-hour operations, parking availability and fuel contracts with the Department of Defense.
'Conflict of interest concerns' : House investigating increased military spending at Trump's Turnberry resort
U.S. military spending at Glasgow Prestwick Airport appears to have increased substantially since Trump took office, with $11 million in fuel being purchased since October 2017, according to a letter the congressional panel sent to the Pentagon in June.
The financially struggling airport — important to the golf course's financial success — provided “cut-rate rooms” and free rounds of golf at Turnberry for U.S. military members, the letter says in citing a report from the Guardian .
“Given the President’s continued financial stake in his Scotland golf courses, these reports raise questions about the President’s potential receipt of U.S. or foreign government emoluments in violation of the U.S. Constitution and raise other serious conflict of interest concerns,” Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat and chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, wrote in a June 23 records request to the Department of Defense.
The rates paid by the military were below the $166 per diem rate, said Col. Michael Wunn, former director of the Iowa-Kosovo partnership who was part of the trip last year. No closer hotel was able to accommodate the group within the government's rate limits, Wunn said.
Trump resort : Air Force to review international travel expenses after concerns raised about Trump resort
Wunn said decisions about where to land to refuel and where to stay are part of a complex review conducted through the Defense Travel System, sometimes referenced as the "Pentagon’s in-house travel agent."
“Our folks work through the process, and they’re making decisions based on what they need to do to support the mission,” Wunn said. “I’m confident that’s what guided those decisions as far as stopover and where they stayed and all those sorts of things.”
The Iowa National Guard group will leave Sunday for a third training trip to Kosovo, returning Sept. 21. The group’s refueling stop this year is in Germany; they will stay in lodging at Spangdahlem Air Base, Wunn said.
At least three other military stays at Turnberry are the subject of a congressional investigation, according to a Politico story published this week . In total, more than 60 service members stayed at the resort, Politico reported.
Jason Clayworth is an investigative reporter for the Register. Reach him at jclayworth@dmreg.com or 515-699-7058.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa National Guard members stayed at Trump Turnberry Scotland resort
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Nothing but conflicts of interest with this con man, scammer, grifter, thug, thief 'president'
Another yawn investigation.
Trump wasn't in office in 2015. Took office in Jan, 20th 2017
Damn the all to hell! How dare they treat the US military so well. They should be forced to rough it out in the open.
The US government should have paid more, split them up, and forced them to stay elsewhere. That would show Trump!
'Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said in a statement to USA TODAY that Glasgow Prestwick Airport has been used as a stopover location since 2015 because of its 24-hour operations, parking availability and fuel contracts with the Department of Defense.'
I don't know what that has to do with the story anyway or why it's even there.
Because back then there wasn't a potential violation of the emoluments clause.
The 'president' is lining his pockets as fast as his fat little fingers will allow.
Yet one more conflict of interest with this con man.
The Iowa National Guard Members ..... coulda said NO !
There's even kiddy commercials out in TV land that say the same thing.
"Just Say NO" !
But ….. I suppose….Trump must have Threatened them into staying .
The soldiers were under orders. Saying "NO" could have resulted in Article 15's.
"The rates paid by the military were below the $166 per diem rate, said Col. Michael Wunn"
Pretty frugal of the National Guard to stay at a place that gives a discount....wouldn't you say ?
Refreshing !
Sorry but that's not in the seed story. Do you have another link where it shows they were ordered to stay at that resort? All the above seed mentions in that regard is that this was the only please within range that could handle the entire group together and the rates were below the per diem rates allowed.
Maybe you need to re-read your own posting of the story.
They are being investigated because Eli Cummings, a "Dem Presidential Candidate" and a member of the Oversight Committee has declared that he will investigate ANYTHING dealing with Trump.
Fake news Tessy - fake news.
The Air Force has been stopping there far longer than 2015.
Glasgow Prestwick Airport is the only place in the United Kingdom where Elvis Presley (who had distant Scottish ancestry) was known to have set foot, when the United States Air Force transport plane carrying him home to the United States stopped to refuel in 1960, en route from Germany
Wiki
The airfield has a checkered and troubled financial past, most recently having been sold back to Scotland in 2013 who immediately made it available to the US and UK Air Forces.
"Since President Trump took office, military aircraft stops at Prestwick Airport have increased dramatically, according to Air Force statistics. Air Mobility Command aircraft stopped at Prestwick 95 times in 2015 . So far this year there have been 259 stops, 220 of them involving overnight stays ."
"To believe USAF's claim that stays at Turnberry were normal, you'd have to believe: it's a coincidence Trump owns it, emoluments are OK, no hotels under $166 were within 30 miles of the airport, the cost of meals + incidentals is irrelevant and an appearance of corruption is fine," tweeted Walter Shaub, a former top government ethics official"
"The airport entered into an official partnership with the Trump Organization in 2014. Before taking office, President Trump turned day-to-day operations of his companies over to his adult sons. But breaking with the practice of past presidents, he did not divest or otherwise distance himself from his businesses."
I don't expect facts to have any effect on die hard Trumpers, but for the majority of Americans this is no doubt appalling.
Scotland has a contract with the USAF to provide fuel and services since 2013.
It's open 24/7 for USAF ( and others) flights to refuel and keep going on their way.
The surrounding area has dozens of nice hotels for the air crew and passengers if needed,
so a 23 mile trip to a golf resort seems questionable regardless of who owns the resort.
hence the investigation.
From the article itself. Seems that both cost and accommodating the whole group paid a part in the decision. Unless you can prove that there were closer hotels able to take the whole group at the rate needed this is another example of massive TDDS.
They could split them up. Plenty of times I've gone TDY to Brooks AFB and got shuttled down the street because the base couldn't accomdate me, but then a few days later a room opens up. Meanwhile, others going to the same class I am have been on the base since they got there.
The military has no qualms about splitting up a unit if it's convenient for them
I find their use of the airport tripling under Trump also to be questionable. And yes, I was agreeing with you, this should be investigated and if there was someone from the Trump administration directing the military to do this they should be exposed regardless of how far up the chain of command it may go.
You went to SA for schools/seminars/classes and were there for more than two to four days. These folks were there overnight - apples and oranges.
It must be an incredible coincidence that out of the 393 hotels listed in Prestwick none had 20 rooms available.
Seems quite a stretch that the ING even bothered to check.
It seems more like this was a golf junket that someone was trying to hide in the course of a training mission.
Otherwise why not just fly in from Bosnia ( less than 3 hours) and fuel up and keep flying?
Why a one day layover to golf? Why not stay at the Mercure and get up the next morning and fly home to Iowa
which is another 10 hour flight? Because ther isn't any golf there, just a crappy pool.
Why is the next flight for this deployment leaving Iowa 9/15 and flying directly to Germany which is also a 10 hour flight,
but only a 90 minute flight to Bosnia? and returning on 09/21? ( flight plans will not be announced )
It seems that maybe the problem is in the use of the Defense Travel System after all.
The Defense Travel System is a tool like Travelocity.
They have a management office and are subject to the Defense Manpower Data Center Program Management Office.
No one "told" the National Guard that they had to stop in Prestwick,
someone at the Iowa National guard who is authorized to use DTS
chose to go to Prestwick deliberately , regardless of Col. Wunn's assertions.
What some people, obviously, don't understand is that the President does not approve/disapprove where folks, military and/or civilian, stay when on official travel. The Joint Travel Regulations states values in dollars as to what can or can not be spent during official travel - not the President.
I think this is the reason for the investigation.
The top 10 hotels within 8.4 miles of the airport for far less per night than $150.00 or $166.00
Could they accommodate the whole group? Yes or no.
Are they not allowed to stay at different hotels? What is the reason you believe they had to be housed all together at the same place that happened to be a half hour drive from the airport when there were plenty of locations to stay within 5 minutes?
Trip Advisor is not an acceptable part of the decision making process. The Joint Travel Regulations Per Diem ( ) is for
Lodging, per diem, etc.. are based on contractual negotiations, placed in the DoD budget and APPROVED BY THE U.S. CONGRESS.
Col Wunn is asserting that DTS made them go there.
You and I both know that DTS is just like Travelocity for the military.
Someone in Iowa's National Guard chose to arrange this flight and lodging deliberately.
They did it explicitly for the golf, it seems.
If you don't think Trump influences this type of thing, you haven't been paying attention. He shouldn't influence it, but he does.
Thanks as always for pointing out the obvious truth of the matter.
Yep. They had to go thirty miles to stay at the trump place.
If Obama had owned a financially unstable hotel, then the forces started staying there over closer cheaper options, the right wing would have gone insane. Yet with trump it is...nothing to see here folks.
Which is why the Obama administration approved this hotel/facility - not Trump.
Trump also diverted his copter at our expense to go to that golf course. As far as the lack of lodging excuse, a couple of GP larges could have houses everyone. Food could have been purchased from local vendors. I have been on enough field exercises to know how to improvise when needed. The per diem for each of the soldiers will go into Trump's pocket.
News flash, Trump likes to golf. Trump likes to golf at his resorts where he can do it for free.
Funny the left were never concerned when it came to Barack or Michelle's extravagant travel expenses.
Back to the "they are soldiers and should have been roughing it" garbage. They will be roughing it plenty once in Afghanistan.
Considering the hotel/resort was taking them in at a loss; and if they played golf for free- further that loss. How much would each soldier have to eat/drink to offset those losses, and allow them to turn a profit?
The left is getting pretty desperate now. Leave no chance to smear unused.
They weren't going to Afghanistan...they were going to Bosnia
But it's not really free, tho, is it?
That is what I was going to say. He may golf but it is not free.
Also he attacked Obama for playing golf, said he would be to busy to play.
Of course no one cares about all the hypocritical statements he makes.
How is the hotel taking a loss? Even at a discounted rate they are still making a profit over an empty room. Even a free round of golf costs them nothing. Maybe they had to plug in golf carts for another day.
With room/board and food, the hotel made a profit.
It costs us tens of thousands of dollars every time he golfs. Despite his ragging on Obama for golfing and promising that he would be too busy working to golf. All those people who bitched about Obama suddenly have TDS syndrome and think Trump can do no wrong.
There's a Travelodge less than a mile from the airport with rooms for $28 and free breakfast.
I think all of the internet hits are driving the prices up, lol.
A minute ago that room jumped to $36US, now it's $38, LMAO.
I got that price from google maps. They probably asked google to put it there. It's likely rooms FROM $28. Either way it's way cheaper than Trump's Penis Palace.
With vacancy for 40?
They could always split up between La Quinta and Red Roof Inn if there are not enough rooms at Travel Lodge...
Boarding soldiers in $2,000 dollar a night suites to enrich Trump is wrong and also illegal. Paying million$ more to buy fuel at an off course private airport to further enrich Trump is a first class scandal...
Didn't read???
" Guest rooms listed on the resort's site Wednesday cost between $356 and $702."
" Paying million$ more to buy fuel at an off course private airport to further enrich Trump is a first class scandal...
And I am sure GovCo doesn't get a "contract price" then?
yes, easily.
Technically it's not a private airport, it was sold (back) to Scotland in 2013 who immediately made it available to the US & the UK military and procured fuel contracts for supplying fuel for the "non stop" flights from Germany to the US.
Two per room is 20 rooms. I'm sure the Travelodge has 20 rooms.
And yeah...they make you double up in the military. Nobody ever gets a private room
That all makes it sound like staying at the Trump property is actually saving the US taxpayers money and may actually be causing the Trump organization to lose money. And someone is complaining about this?
Additionally, it doesn't appear that they had other options.
So, were they supposed to stay at some place more expensive or farther away?
And if this were Obama would you have been saying:
"That all makes it sound like staying at the Obama property is actually saving the US taxpayers money and may actually be causing the Obama organization to lose money. And someone is complaining about this?"
Trump's resort would only be "losing money" giving a discount on rooms to military personnel if those rooms were going to be booked at a higher rate. Do you really believe the 40 rooms or so were already booked by higher paying customers but were bumped so that the military could stay there at the discounted rate of $150 a night?
And besides, it doesn't matter if it was $1 or $1000 a night, it's still a clear violation of the emoluments clause. The President, his family and his business is still taking US tax payer money. Unless this was a regular event prior to him becoming President, and then after becoming President he divested himself completely from the airport and the resort, he is violating the constitution. I have no doubt virtually every Republican would have been furious over this had it been Obama violating the constitution like this. The only difference is that it's their golden boy, the guy telling them they're special and continues to rub their bellies and tickle their ears.
Hardly.
First of all, an emolument would be some kind of payment or gift directly to Trump just for being president - like if the King of Arabia gave Trump a car or something. Payment to a resort for lodging is legitimate payment for a legitimate service rendered that has nothing whatsoever to do with the president as president.
Second, to violate the Constitution, the gift would have to come from "any King, Prince, or foreign State." The Iowa National Guard (or any branch of the American military) does not qualify.
I believe the upset is caused by the fact that there are dozens of hotels, motels and B&B's within 8 miles of the airport
which range in price from $28.00 Travelodge to $113.00. Considerably closer than the Turnberry which is 23 miles from PIK.
Note that Trump spent 2 days there last July and at the resort's "cost" of some $68,000 which is what they charge US government "patronage". ( ie., 150 per night vs 356 )
Still the resort has already reportedly lost 32 million which allows Trump to avoid paying taxes on his other 3 UK properties.
Your link doesn't match your claim. Trump stays at his resorts for free.
Which shows that Trump games the system. A claim he makes repeatedly about himself. Please don't act like he is the only one.
The left has lost it. Trump is living rent free in their heads 24/7. Of course this is all free advertising to Trump. It is how he won the last election; and considering how the insane exploding clown car of Democratic candidates that can only turn left are being ignored- he might win reelection the same way.
Better?
Hahahaha! That's hilarious. While Trump doesn't "pay" for his own room at his hotel, it costs an enormous amount of money for him to visit them with all the secret service.
The GAO report estimated that just four of Trump’s trips to Mar-a-Lago cost :
All together, in just over 2 years we, the American tax payer, have spent at least $105 MILLION for Trump to visit his golf resorts. Those claiming they're "free" just shows how deluded and in denial some of his sycophants have become.