Biden spent 37% of 2023 at a getaway spot — in Delaware, at posh vacation sites or Camp David - New York Post
President Biden spent more than a third of the past year at a getaway spot — either one of his Delaware residences, a posh vacation site or Camp David, according to a Post review of public records.
The 81-year-old commander in chief was away at one of the relaxing locations or famous retreat 138 days in 2023 — or 37% of the time.
Delaware was a favorite spot for the president, who spent 90 days, including frequent weekends and one prolonged vacation, at either his personal residence in the tony Wilmington suburb of Greenville or his sun-and-sand hideaway in Rehoboth.
He spent 22 days, including travel time, on official vacation in all in 2023. That time was enjoyed at either his Delaware homes or in St. Croix, Lake Tahoe or Nantucket.
He also was at Camp David 26 days, not including the two days he was prepping and getting ready for a trilateral summit.
Biden's number of getaway days in 2023 was only slightly down from 2022, when he spent more than 38% of that year at the same locations.
The data involves full or partial days that the president spent at the sites.
The White House has maintained the president can work from anywhere and does not have to stay in Washington, DC, to do his job.
"The President has taken 16 days of vacation this year, and even on those days, he has worked," Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton insisted to The Post in an e-mailed statement. "Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Americans saw the President hold a slew of foreign head of state calls before announcing a deal to release hostages from Gaza the very next day. The fact is: the President works every single day of the week whether he is in Washington, Delaware, Camp David, or anywhere else — and those around him and reporters who cover him closely know that."
Dalton also pointed to Republicans in Congress.
"These fictitious attacks on the President are all the more absurd coming from Republicans in Congress, who left down in December without doing their job to fund the government or our national security priorities," the rep said.
Biden — who historically rode Amtrak to get out of DC when he was a senator — outpaces all recent presidents in terms of days away from Washington. George H.W. Bush was his closest competitor, spending 36% of his presidency at a getaway spot, according to calculations.
Former President Donald Trump, who liked to spend time at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, was out of town 26% of his time in the White House.
Biden went on five notable vacations in 2023, frequently staying at luxurious estates thanks to his Democratic benefactors.
The first family started off 2023 at a swanky compound in St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands owned by billionaire Democratic donors Bill and Connie Neville. The Bidens enjoyed the Nevilles' stunning $4 million property free of charge.
In August alone, Biden spent 20 days either in Delaware or vacationing at his 2020 Democratic rival Tom Steyer's $20 million Lake Tahoe estate.
The White House said the Bidens were renting the property from Steyer for "fair market value."
Joe and Jill Biden eventually jetted off to Hawaii from the Lake Tahoe estate to survey the damage caused by the Maui wildfires before soon returning to Nevada.
Some vacation days let Biden exercise and relax and also take a break from the happenings of the Oval Office. Biden admitted in August that he did not "know enough" about the details surrounding the death of Russian mercenary leader Yevgeney Prizoghin because he was in a spin class for an "hour and a half."
For Thanksgiving, Biden's family stayed at David Rubenstein's Nantucket estate for the third year in a row. The private equity mogul's property is valued at $38.9 million, is situated on nearly 14 acres and features a private pool, hot tub and tennis court.
The president's aides refused to disclose to The Post whether the first family paid for their six-day stay at the Massachusetts mansion.
Biden then went to St. Croix again to finish off 2023, staying for free with his "friends," the Nevilles. The first family stayed at the resort for six days free of charge.
Their free stay is valued at over $6,000, according to the rental listing on VRBO.
The multiple free vacations during Biden's presidency have raised questions from ethicists after he failed to disclose the trips on his annual financial forms. The gifts have been compared to the trips taken by conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with real estate billionaire Harlan Crow, sojourns which drew ire from Democrats.
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