Mar-a-Lago (/ˌmɑːrəˈlɑːɡoʊ/ from the Spanish for sea to lake) is a resort and national historic landmark in Palm Beach, Florida, owned by former U.S. president Donald Trump. Trump acquired Mar-a-Lago in 1985 and referred to it as his "Winter White House" and "Southern White House" during his presidential tenure. Since 1994, the 126-room, 62,500-square-foot (5,810 m2) mansion has become the "Mar-a-Lago Club", a members-only club with guest rooms, a spa, and other hotel-style amenities. Trump has designated Mar-a-Lago as his primary residence since 2019. It is located in Palm Beach County on the Palm Beach barrier island, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Florida's Intracoastal Waterway to the west. Mar-a-Lago was built for businesswoman and socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post, former owner of General Foods Corporation, between the years 1924 to 1927. At the time of her death in 1973, Post bequeathed the property to the National Park Service, hoping it could be used for state visits or as a Winter White House, but because the costs of maintaining the property exceeded the funds provided by Post, and because it was difficult to secure the facility (as it is located in the flight path of Palm Beach Airport), the property was returned to the Post Foundation by an act of Congress in 1981. Mar-a-Lago was purchased by Trump for around $10 million. He used the mansion as a residence for eight years, before converting it into the Mar-a-Lago Club. His family maintains private quarters in a separate, closed-off area of the house and grounds. Trump frequently visited Mar-a-Lago during his tenure as president of the United States. He would host meetings with international leaders there, including Japanese prime minister Shinzō Abe and Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping. It is the second-largest mansion in the state of Florida (after Versailles in Windermere). In 2018, Forbes estimated the value of the estate at around $160 million, claiming it had appreciated since Trump's purchase.
