Trump ditches New York to become a Florida resident, court documents show
President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, has now declared himself a Florida resident, according to court documents.
The President changed his permanent residence to his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, in late September, and first lady Melania Trump followed suit in October, in forms filed with the Palm Beach County Circuit Court.
In a series of tweets Thursday night, Trump said he was leaving New York because he’s been “treated very badly” by politicians in the Empire State.
“1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the White House, is the place I have come to love and will stay for, hopefully, another 5 years as we MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, but my family and I will be making Palm Beach, Florida, our Permanent Residence,” Trump tweeted.
“I cherish New York, and the people of New York, and always will, but unfortunately, despite the fact that I pay millions of dollars in city, state and local taxes each year, I have been treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state. Few have been treated worse. I hated having to make this decision, but in the end it will be best for all concerned. As President, I will always be there to help New York and the great people of New York. It will always have a special place in my heart!”
The documents assert that the Florida resort is now Trump’s “predominant and principal home.” They list his former address as that of Trump Tower in New York, and the addresses of his “other places of abode” as those of the White House and the private Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Trump has spent 307 days at one of his properties since taking office, including 239 days at one of his golf clubs, according to a CNN tally.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, was not sad to see Trump go.
“Good riddance. It’s not like @realDonaldTrump paid taxes here anyway,” Cuomo tweeted. “He’s all yours, Florida.”
The New York Times first reported the switch in residence.
The change was primarily for tax purposes, a person close to the President told the Times. Florida does not collect income tax.
The person close to the President also told the Times that Trump was enraged by the Manhattan district attorney’s lawsuit in pursuit of his tax returns. It is unclear how switching residences would affect the lawsuit.
That suit, which all sides see heading to the Supreme Court for an election-year showdown, has not gone Trump’s way so far. A federal judge in early October dismissed Trump’s effort to prevent his tax returns from being turned over to a New York grand jury — a decision that an attorney for Trump appealed minutes later.
The appeals court immediately ordered a temporary stay of the subpoena. But last week, that appeals court expressed skepticism that Trump can block a subpoena from New York state prosecutors for his tax returns.
