President Donald Trump appears to plan to spend more than two weeks over the holidays at his "Winter White House" Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, while keeping thousands of troops at the nation's southern border away from their families.
A Federal Aviation Administration alert issued Thursday does not state Air Force One will land at Palm Beach International Airport, but informs pilots to avoid the area around Mar-a-Lago from December 21 to January 6.
The 16-day trip will be the longest Trump has visted Mar-a-Lago since he was inaugurated, according to the Palm Beach Post. Trump spent a dozen days in Palm Beach over the Christmas and New Year's holidays last year. This year, he is expected to fly in a day earlier and leave four days later.
While Trump enjoys a lengthy vacation at his property, thousands of American troops will remain stationed at the border along Mexico for the president. The troops that Trump ordered there as a caravan from Central America approaches the U.S. border stayed through Thanksgiving as well.
An army spokesperson told CBS News on Tuesday that, by the end of this week, 3,000 troops would begin leaving the border at Arizona and Texas and go home for the holidays, but plenty will remain at their posts. About 5,700 troops were stationed at the border in late November.
The troops remaining over the Christmas and New Year's holidays will be at the Army headquarters in San Antonio. In addition, aviation units will stay in Arizona and California to transport military police and engineering units.
"Most forces in Texas will redeploy to their home bases to prepare for other missions," Army spokesperson Col. Cathy Wilkinson told CBS News. "However, we have the ability to quickly reestablish support operations in Texas if needed."
On Tuesday, Trump tweeted that the deployment of troops to prevent the caravan from entering the United States was a success.
"Despite the large Caravans that WERE forming and heading to our Country, people have not been able to get through our newly built Walls, makeshift Walls & Fences, or Border Patrol Officers & Military," he tweeted.
Despite the large Caravans that WERE forming and heading to our Country, people have not been able to get through our newly built Walls, makeshift Walls & Fences, or Border Patrol Officers & Military. They are now staying in Mexico or going back to their original countries.......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018
Trump deployed the troops before the November midterm elections, telling voters the caravan threatened border and national security.
The Trump family is looking forward to a jolly good time over the holidays at Mar-a-Lago.
"If you think my father is funny on TV," first son Donald Trump Jr. told Extra TV earlier this week, "You should see him around the holiday table, when everyone is vying for the food."
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