The road to Mar-a-Lago was once packed with spectators. Not this year

US President Donald Trump made his last visit Palm Beach for the season earlier this month, but this year looked different than in the past.

Trump has Visited Mar-a-Lago 27 times since returning to the White House for his second term. For Palm Beach residents, this meant extended road closures and aviation restrictions.

Their visit this year was filled with news, such as the announcement that the then-president of Venezuela had been captured. Nicolas Maduro And Attacks against Iran. Not to mention, the airport and the main road in the city are named after him.

But on the ground, reporters for The Palm Beach Post and the Palm Beach Daily News, both part of the USA TODAY Network, have noted that some of their visits have been quieter in recent months: While the road to Mar-a-Lago was packed with visiting spectators during his first term, this year was different.

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See Trump in Palm Beach during his first term

See Trump in Palm Beach for his second term

Mar-a-Lago convoy areas see more restrictions

Security has been tightened around the area Mar-a-Lago Club He was in Palm Beach before taking office for his first term in the White House in 2017.

But since the beginning of this season, security measures have been increasingly tightened to deal with what federal officials say are increasing threats to Trump’s life and family. The situation was further complicated by international tensions. Iran war.

Among the most visible and disruptive changes were: Closure of Southern Ocean Boulevard near the club effective March 3 By May 4, by order of the US Secret Service. The path runs along the water side of the island where Mar-a-Lago is located. Since U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began on Feb. 28, the Secret Service said the road closure was part of “heightened security measures” implemented by the agency along with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

One popular place to watch Trump’s motorcade pass is the Southern Boulevard Bridge, which crosses Bingham Island directly east of Mar-a-Lago. Parking lots near the bridge were once free but were converted to paid parking lots in 2024.

Some fans are still gathering across from the entrance to Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach. An argument broke out between a supporter and a protester in February. Arrest of 76-year-old man “Not My President” flag. This wasn’t the only protest against Trump. On March 28, thousands of people protested in eight locations in Palm Beach County. “No to Kings” protests.

Trump named the airport and road after him this year

Southern Boulevard now bears his name, although the road leading to the Winter White House is not filled with as many spectators as in previous years.

Four-mile stretch of road between Palm Beach International Airport and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida has been renamed “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard“In January.

“When people see that beautiful sign at night that’s beautifully lit and says Donald J. Trump Boulevard, they’re going to be filled with pride, not just pride, not in me, but in our country, right, proud of the state, because our nation is going to be stronger and richer and more successful, which is what’s happening right now,” Trump said at a sign presentation in January. he said.

Palm Beach International Airport, the airport Trump usually flies to, will also soon be renamed Donald J. Trump International Airport following legislation signed by the Governor. Ron DeSantis and was approved by Palm Beach County commissioners. The new logo proposed by the Trump Organization is entirely gold.

Democrat flips Palm Beach State House seat

Nationally, Trump’s low approval rating and overperforming local elections by Democrats have led some to wonder whether enthusiasm for Trump has waned. Also in Palm Beach, a Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for the State House district where Mar-a-Lago is located was defeated by a Democrat.

Trump voted by mail in the election, replacing Rep. Mike Caruso, who is the Circuit Court Clerk and Palm Beach County Auditor. The president endorsed Republican Jon Maples, who is running against Democrat Emily Gregory for the seat.

“TO ALL GREAT PATRIOTS IN THE FLORIDA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 87: GO OUT AND VOTE FOR JON MAPLES!” Trump said on March 23: social media post.

But Gregory won in a surprising defeat. He will run for re-election in the fall.

“I believe that after November we will no longer be in the super minority,” he said, according to The Palm Beach Post. “I’m the 34th Democrat (in the 120-member House) and I think we’ll get six or more seats in November. I also like our chances for the governor’s mansion. I think we’ll have a Democrat in the governor’s mansion and we’ll have a 40 or 40-plus seat in the State House. I don’t know the State Senate seats that well. I think if the next legislative session happens by then, we could be a very different place, and that would be very beneficial for all Floridians.”

Credits: Mike Diamond, Kristina Webb, Wayne Washington, Antonio Fins, John Bisognano, Tom Elia, Valentina Palm, Hannah Phillips, USA TODAY

Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect correspondent for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. follow him X (Twitter), Topics, blue sky And tiktok.

This article first appeared on USA TODAY: Trump’s Mar-a-Lago visits see fewer spectators on ‘Trump Boulevard’