The dispute over whether former President Donald Trump can live at his Mar-A-Lago resort likely hinges on whether he is technically employed by the club.
The issue is set to be addressed Tuesday night by the Palm Beach, Florida, town council, according to Business Insider. Some residents near the resort have argued the former commander-in-chief is not legally entitled to reside there because of a decades-old agreement.
They claim a 1993 agreement converting the site from a private residence into a members’ club prevents Trump or anyone else from living there for more than 21 days a year, according to The Washington Post.
But John Randolph, the town attorney, indicated that issue depends on whether Trump is technically employed by the club. He pointed out that it would be allowable under the town’s zoning regulations if Trump is determined to be a “bona fide employee’ of the resort.
“I believe this issue, therefore, hinges primarily on whether former President Trump is a bona fide employee of the Club,” Randolph wrote in a memo to town officials, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
And in a letter sent to Randolph, Trump’s attorneys noted that the former president had previously lived at Mar-a-Lago for extended periods without complaints from Palm Beach officials.
They maintain that Trump is an official employee at the club, given his role as club president, according to the Insider.
Trump has lived at the luxury resort since leaving office in January.