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Bloomberg
US Vice President Mike Pence came under fire on Tuesday for staying at President Donald Trump’s golf resort during his official visit to Ireland, despite most of his meetings with Irish leaders taking place more than 200 kilometres (125 miles) away in Dublin.
The vice president’s staff defended the decision, noting that Pence — who is travelling with his mother and sister — has familial ties to Doonbeg, close
to the Trump International course. Pence’s European schedule was hastily rearranged, they said.
Trump asked Pence to travel in his place to a World War II commemoration ceremony in Warsaw so he could remain home to monitor the response to Hurricane Dorian.
“We followed normal protocol,†Marc Short, chief of staff to the vice president, told reporters. He added that while Trump had recommended staying at Doonbeg, he didn’t demand it.
Still, Democrats seized on Pence’s decision to stay at Trump’s golf club as the latest example of the president benefiting from taxpayer dollars at his businesses. Trump visited his golf club in Sterling, Virginia twice, and last month said he was strongly considering holding next year’s G-7 summit at his Doral golf resort in Miami.