Categories: Donald Trump

Rare footage reveals hidden details of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago

PALM BEACH, FL - NOV 14, 2024: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump attends the America First Policy Institute Gala held at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on November 14, 2024. (Photo by Saul Martinez for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Donald Trump’s lavish Mar-a-Lago estate has long been a fortress of exclusivity, drawing world leaders, billionaires, and high-profile guests. Recent visitors include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Tech titans Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk have also been spotted inside its grand halls.

A glimpse beyond the security barriers

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES – JANUARY 31 : US President Donald Trump departs from the White House for Mar-a-Lago, Florida in Washington, DC. United States on January 31, 2025. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Very few outsiders have seen the inner sanctum of Mar-a-Lago, where Trump resides in luxury. However, a long-forgotten television show offers an unprecedented look inside. Through the Keyhole, a British-American program hosted by David Frost and Lloyd Grossman, featured Trump’s estate in a 1999 episode—long before his political rise.

A palace of extravagance and fantasy

The footage showcases an interior far more elaborate than the brief glimpses often seen in news coverage. Ornate animal carvings, baronial halls, and gilded furniture fill the mansion. The highlight? A fairytale-themed bedroom featuring intricate decorations, sculpted roses, and whimsical designs.

The historic estate’s surprising past

PALM BEACH, FL – NOV 14, 2024: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump attends the America First Policy Institute Gala held at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on November 14, 2024. (Photo by Saul Martinez for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Built in the 1920s by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, the estate was initially meant to serve as a Winter White House. After her passing, the U.S. government returned the property to the Post Foundation due to its hefty maintenance costs. Trump acquired it in 1985 for just $5 million, later adding to its grandeur with antique furnishings worth millions more.

A fortress of power in Trump’s presidency

Since Trump’s return to the White House, Mar-a-Lago has transformed into the nerve center of his administration. The estate has hosted critical meetings, and reports suggest Trump even established a makeshift situation room within its walls. His recent executive orders and policy decisions have been as likely to emerge from Palm Beach as from Washington, solidifying Mar-a-Lago’s reputation as a true Winter White House.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.