President Donald Trump wrapped up his fifth weekend trip to Mar-a-Lago, departing on
Sunday evening following a 48-hour stay that included time on the golf course and an apparent effort to dispel reports of internal conflicts within his administration. Reports had surfaced about tensions between his chief budget-cutting advisor and his Secretary of State,
Marco Rubio, but Trump made a public attempt to deny any discord between the two high-ranking officials.
The president’s departure from Palm Beach International Airport at 5:30 p.m. was accompanied by key figures, including his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. According to a White House pool report, Musk was dressed in a black t-shirt featuring the word “DOGE” in white pixelated letters, along with a silver belt buckle bearing the Tesla logo. Earlier in the weekend, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Musk had been part of the presidential entourage that arrived on Air Force One on Friday night. The weekend itinerary included a Saturday night dinner featuring Trump, Musk, and Secretary of State Rubio, reinforcing the administration’s attempt to portray a united front.
The presence of a U.S. Air Force aircraft at the airport on Sunday morning, believed to have been used by Rubio, added to speculation about high-level discussions taking place. By the time Trump departed for Washington, the aircraft was gone, as Rubio had already left for Saudi Arabia to continue negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Efforts to address potential conflicts between Rubio and Musk were evident. Reports had emerged detailing a heated confrontation between the two at a White House meeting on March 6. The New York Times indicated that the dispute centered on budget cuts, particularly the dramatic reductions to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). This funding loss directly impacted programs that supported political prisoners, dissidents, and pro-democracy activists in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela—issues deeply important to Rubio given his Miami Cuban-American background and political ties.
Trump took to social media on Saturday evening to dismiss the reports of any hostility. In a bold all-caps message, he wrote: “ELON AND MARCO HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP. ANY STATEMENT OTHER THAN THAT IS FAKE NEWS!!!” This public reassurance came amidst increasing speculation about growing divisions within his administration over fiscal policies and international aid.
Beyond internal political tensions, Trump used the weekend to push for the approval of a continuing resolution to keep the government funded. On Saturday, he praised the proposed funding bill as “under the circumstances, a very good funding Bill,” crafted by the Republican-led Congress. While some GOP members opposed the measure, Trump sought to rally support by emphasizing the need for temporary stability while longer-term financial reforms were put in place. He urged his party members to stay united, warning against Democratic efforts to force a government shutdown.
“Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the country’s ‘financial house’ in order,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He emphasized the need for party unity, stating, “We have to remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right. VERY IMPORTANT. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
A government shutdown loomed as a possible consequence if Congress failed to pass the resolution, a scenario that could exacerbate existing economic concerns. Market volatility had already been evident, with fluctuating stock values, a less-than-expected job growth report, and tariff uncertainties impacting investor confidence. Addressing the possibility of a recession, Trump was noncommittal but optimistic, telling reporters before heading back to Washington: “I tell you what, of course, you hesitate. Who knows? All I know is this, we’re going to take in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs, and we’re going to become so rich you’re not going to know when to spend all that money. I’m telling you, you just watch.”
Despite his confidence, the stock market took a substantial hit on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 890 points, falling below the 42,000 threshold, while the S&P 500 also declined by 155 points.
During his stay at Mar-a-Lago, Trump also made headlines in a more lighthearted way, winning a golf match against the grandson of golf legend Gary Player at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. His spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, noted that the club members were particularly excited about the victory.
Meanwhile, security concerns arose over the weekend due to multiple violations of restricted airspace in Palm Beach County while Trump was in town. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed that military fighter jets had been deployed twice—once on Saturday and again on Sunday—to escort civilian aircraft that had mistakenly entered the restricted zone. NORAD issued a statement reminding pilots to heed “Notice to Airmen” alerts in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, stressing that these procedures were mandatory. General Gregory Guillot, the commander of NORAD, reiterated that an “excessive” number of airspace breaches had occurred since Trump began his second term, urging stricter adherence to flight restrictions.
As Trump returned to Washington following his eventful weekend, the focus remained on his administration’s handling of domestic policy challenges, economic uncertainties, and international diplomacy. With Congress set to vote on government funding and Rubio continuing his diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Trump’s leadership and ability to maintain party unity would face further tests in the coming weeks.
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