Dec 30, 2017

Trump's free reign at his Winter White House

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk together at Mar-a-Lago. Photo: JIM WATSON / AFP / Getty Images

At Mar-a-Lago, President Trump can "be Trump," former campaign adviser Roger Stone told the Washington Post.

"Nobody tells Donald Trump where he can and cannot go...The president is able to get a lot of information that is normally blocked from getting to him...You don't have the minders. There is no doubt that he makes more calls."

Why it matters: Per the Post, aides view Trump's Florida golf club as "a respite...for him to recharge." He handles comments made on cable news better, and tweets a little less. But, it's also more difficult for his staff to control who he speaks to, as seen on Thursday when a New York Times reporter was able to sit with Trump for a 30 minute interview without any aides or advisers having a say.

At the "Winter White House," Trump frequently asks guests about their thoughts on foreign or legislative affairs, the Post reports. Society editor of the Palm Beach Daily News, Shannon Donnelly, noted that Trump made his own plate at the buffet on Christmas Eve. This presented guests "yet another opportunity" to approach him, per WaPo.

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