Loudoun County fumes over dedicating resources without reimbursement
Officials and residents in Loudoun County, Virginia, are expressing frustration over the financial implications of President Donald Trump’s visits to his golf club, Trump National Golf Course. During a recent county supervisors’ meeting, Supervisor Juli Briskman inquired whether the Loudoun County sheriff’s office receives reimbursement for the extensive services it provides when the president is in town. Lt. Col. Christopher Sawyer confirmed they do not receive such reimbursement, despite ongoing requests, which raises concerns about the costs being borne by local taxpayers.
Residents like Mara Moreland shared experiences of neighborhood shutdowns affecting thier access to homes during the president’s visits. Local officials, including Vice Chairman Michael Turner, questioned whether there is a legal requirement for law enforcement to provide security for Trump’s golf rounds. Sawyer explained that while they provide support for every sitting president,there are limits to their capabilities based on resource availability.
Briskman requested a thorough accounting of expenses related to trump’s visits, questioning the funding responsibility for security during what she characterized as potentially campaign-related events. There is a broader context of municipalities seeking reimbursement for the public safety costs incurred during such visits,drawing on previous experiences with former presidential candidates.
Loudoun County officials fume over dedicating resources to secure Trump’s golf rounds without reimbursement
Officials and residents in Loudoun County, Virginia, are questioning how much President Donald Trump’s visits to his golf club in the area are costing them.
During the county supervisors’ meeting earlier this month, Supervisor Juli Briskman asked whether the Loudoun County sheriff’s office is reimbursed for services provided to the president when he visits Trump National Golf Course in Lowes Island.
“The short answer is no, we are not being reimbursed for that,” Lt. Col. Christopher Sawyer said. “We have asked, in writing, and we will continue to ask, because the resources are significant.”
One resident, Mara Moreland, who lives in the Lowes Island community near the golf course, said her neighborhood has been shut down four times since January. She noted the shutdowns have prevented her and others from entering or leaving their homes.
“It doesn’t matter who we voted for. We just want to be able to access our house,” Moreland said.
She claimed she had been denied access to her street despite showing identification with her address to law enforcement.
“I tried to show them my ID. I tried to tell them that I live here,” she said. “They basically said to me, ‘Nobody in, nobody out.’”
Vice Chairman Michael Turner asked if there was a “legal obligation that local law enforcement” needs to provide security to the president’s golf games.
Sawyer responded, “We have provided presidential support to every sitting president, based on what the United States Secret Service has requested. That does not mean they get everything, because there hits a point where we say, no, we can’t provide certain levels because it becomes too much.”
“So, the taxpayers in Loudoun County are paying taxes so the president of the United States can play golf, and we’re not being reimbursed for that cost?” Turner asked.
“As of right now, we have been told that there is no funding mechanism to be able to be reimbursed, but we continue to ask that question,” Sawyer said. “Our overtime budget is not designed to support this.”
Briskman, who lives near the golf course, said she requested a detailed report about how much the county has spent on Trump’s recent visits.
“With everything going on with quote-unquote ‘waste, fraud, and abuse,’ I decided that we should figure out how much this is costing the county,” Briskman said.
She also questioned the nature of the events that prompt the visits.
“If it’s a campaign event, then your campaign should be funding the security,” she said. “If it’s an official White House presidential event, then I can understand spending taxpayer dollars on it, but in a transparent way.”
Local municipalities have long sought reimbursements for using their police and fire resources to provide security to presidents and presidential candidates. During the 2024 election, the mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin, said neither former President Joe Biden nor Trump’s campaigns had paid nearly $64,000 worth of invoices to the city since 2016.
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“There are very real costs associated with the public safety resources these events require, and it is crucial that the financial responsibilities associated with these services are borne by the campaigns, not our taxpayers,” Mayor Eric Genrich said.
After Genrich’s statement, a Biden spokesperson said the campaign had paid its outstanding balances.
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