In 2010 the first lady Michelle Obama took a trip to Spain that ended up costing taxpayers about $470,000. Now this was a trip in which the first lady and her companions were supposed to cover their own expenses, however, her being the first lady meant that she had to have the protection of the secret service. Therefore, costing taxpayers a reasonable amount.
Back in 2010, this trip caused widespread criticism as pictures of the first lady and her youngest daughter in an elegant Mediterranean setting ironically clashed with our “still-struggling U.S. economy”. However, the criticism goes without saying, the first lady is clearly enjoying herself with our hard-earned money. The cost for the Secret Service alone is totaled to nearly $255,000, then added to that flight costs and accommodations sums up to least $467,585, according to Judicial Watch. To make matters worse, the first lady’s office has not yet cooperated with a response or explanation.
While the first lady is not an elected official, any trip outside of Washington means inevitable costs like Secret Service protection, taxpayers have to bear with. The same goes for previous first ladies. However, as Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said, “The American people can ill afford to keep sending the First Family on vacations around the globe”. President Obama has fired GSA officials for wasteful conference spending, this is hypocritical considering his family goes on luxurious vacations around the globe.
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