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Donald Trump and Mar-a-Lago are intricately intertwined when it comes to both his image and his wealth. It’s a core part of why he labeled it the “Winter White House” when he was president because it gave off an air of prestige that Camp David certainly did not. The historic Palm Beach, Florida property has offered access and bragging rights to many of Donald Trump’s voter base over the years, but Mary C. Shanklin, author of American Castle: One Hundred Years of Mar-a-Lago, thinks a very different future could be ahead for the estate.
Shanklin shared with SheKnows that it’s quite possible that Mar-a-Lago might never be the same once Donald Trump passes because his adult children, particularly Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka Trump don’t seem to possess that same charisma as their father to keep the expensive club up and running. She believes that history could be repeating itself all over again with Mar-a-Lago’s original owner.
“Let’s go back full circle. Marjorie Merriweather Post, who built Mar-a-Lago, couldn’t give [the estate] away to her own children,” Shanklin says. “It’s huge and some people would call it a monstrosity. It’s a beautifully positioned piece of property, nothing like it will ever be built again, but if Marjorie Merriweather Post’s children wanted no part of that, then it could happen again with [Donald Trump’s kids].”
She adds, “I think it’s hard to imagine that the Trump children are going to want to run that when they don’t have that figurehead at the dining room table.” Donald Trump has been the reason many members joined the club, so without him, it will likely be the start of a new chapter for the property. Shanklin also cautions that “you really can’t begin to guess what’s going to happen next” because Mar-a-Lago is in an area of Florida with rising sea levels which could change the coastline in the coming years. And we can’t forget that the estate might also be affected by the outcome of Donald Trump’s New York business fraud civil case.
The future for Mar-a-Lago is a big question mark, but for as long as Donald Trump is at the helm, it will continue to be the crown jewel in his real estate portfolio.
Before you go, click here to see every time Ivanka Trump has tried to distance herself from the Trump family:
