What to know about Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida
Former President Donald Trump's Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, his permanent residence and winter home, was searched on Monday by the FBI.
Two people familiar with the search told USA TODAY the action was connected to Trump's alleged removal of documents from the White House to his Mar-a-Lago property when his term in office was over in January 2021.
Here's more about the 20-acre oceanfront estate.
The latest: Ex-Bush AG Gonzales says Mar-a-Lago search likely had approval from ‘highest level’- live updates
Who owned Mar-a-Lago before Trump?
Charles William Post, a breakfast cereal businessman, left an inheritance of $11 million for his daughter Marjorie Merriweather Post.
She used $2.5 million in the 1920s to build a palace.
How many rooms does Mar-a-Lago have?
It was built in 1927 and had 58 bedrooms, 33 bathrooms and three bomb shelters.
It also had a 1,800-square-foot living room, 1,500-square-foot dining room, a theater, a 75-foot tower, 36,000 antique Spanish tiles and a nine-hole golf course.
What happened to the estate after it was built?
When she died in 1973, Post willed Mar-a-Lago to the federal government as a winter White House. The property had been declared a National Historic Landmark the year before.
The government returned it seven years later because of its high maintenance costs.
Trump's home entered into: What's happening at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home? Was the FBI there? Answers to your questions
How did Trump acquire Mar-a-Lago?
Trump bought Mar-a-Lago with its furnishings for $10 million in 1985. He restored the home, added a putting green, tennis court and croquet court. He then added a spa, salon and health club.
He changed it to a private club in 1995 to offset the costs.
What does Mar-a-Lago mean?
Mar-a-Lago, Spanish for "sea to lake," signifies the estate's positioning, reaching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Intracoastal Waterway.
Photos: FBI search Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida
Trump is an employee of Mar-a-Lago, allowing him to live there
Trump does not live at Mar-a-Lago during the summer because the club shuts down.
A 1993 agreement with the town of Palm Beach allowed Trump to convert Mar-a-Lago to a 10-guest-suite private club but, in doing so, prohibited him from living there full-time. Despite the deal, Trump announced in 2019 that he was moving his residency status from New York to Florida and that Mar-a-Lago would be his new home.
And though some neighbors fought back, in 2021, Trump officially skirted the 1993 deal by claiming he was an employee of his club. The town agreed with Trump’s attorney, who held that his client performed work at the club such as attending events, greeting guests and recommending candidates for membership.
A club membership includes "the use of the formal and casual dining areas, the Mar-a-Lago Spa, the pool, the Beach Club, breathtaking guest rooms, exclusive suites, and a state-of-the-art-fitness center," its website said.
Contributing: The Palm Beach Post
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate: What to know about his Palm Beach home
