REGION AND THE DESTRUCTION OF AMERICAN INTERESTS. NOW, AT SIX, SECURITY CONTINUES TO BE RAMPED UP ON PALM BEACH AND SURROUNDING AREAS AS PRESIDENT TRUMP HOSTS ANOTHER HIGH PROFILE GUEST IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE PRESIDENT IS SET TO MEET WITH THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, KEEPING THE PRESIDENT, THE DIGNITARIES AND VARIOUS POLITICIANS VISITING MAR-A-LAGO SAFE FALLS TO SEVERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. THIS COMES AFTER A BUSY WEEK ALREADY AT MAR-A-LAGO, WHERE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY AND ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU MET WITH TRUMP EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE DIGNITARIES IN VARIOUS POLITICIANS VISITING THE AREA. SAFETY, OF COURSE, A TOP OF MIND FOR MANY LOCAL SAFETY LEADERS. WPBF 25 NEWS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER TERRI PARKER TALKED TO THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT IT COSTS. SECURITY IS TIGHT, NOT JUST AT MAR-A-LAGO, BUT ALL THE PLACES THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS VISITING DIGNITARIES GO AND STAY. AND HAVING THEM HERE DOUBLES THE COST THAT PALM BEACH COUNTY HAS TO PAY FOR THAT SECURITY. LAST WEEK IN UKRAINIAN, PRESIDENT ZELENSKY MET WITH THE PRESIDENT TO TALK ABOUT A PEACE DEAL BETWEEN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA. THEN ON MONDAY, IT WAS ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU WHO STAYED AT THE NEARBY FOUR SEASONS HOTEL UNTIL THURSDAY, AND IT WAS WELL GUARDED ALL THAT TIME. SO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE BUSY. FHP REALLY HELPED US OUT A LOT. THEY SENT TROOPERS OUT TO HELP US WITH THE MOTORCADES. BUT, YOU KNOW, TWO, WE HAD TWO LOCATIONS THAT WE HAD TO SECURE ONE AT THE FOUR SEASONS. AND OF COURSE, MAR-A-LAGO WAS ALREADY DONE. SHERIFF RIC BRADSHAW HAS HUNDREDS OF DEPUTIES PATROLLING AND GUARDING ANY AREA. ANY HIGH PROFILE PERSON MAY STAY OR BE. AND IT’S A BIG JOB. OUR BIGGEST CONCERN WAS IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A PROTEST THAT YAHOO SOMETIMES CAN DRAW SOME PRETTY ANGRY PEOPLE, AND SOME OF THE PROTESTS. SO WE WERE PRETTY PREPARED FOR THAT OVER THERE. BRADSHAW SAYS HIS PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ALERT FOR ANYTHING TO GO WRONG AT ANY TIME, WHICH MEANS 24 OVER SEVEN DUTY IN THE COST ALMOST DOUBLES WHEN VISITING HEADS OF STATES ARE HERE. BRADSHAW SAYS HE EXPECTS IT COST AT LEAST $400,000 PER DAY MONEY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO PAY BACK. PALM BEACH COUNTY IS STILL WAITING FOR PAYMENT FOR LAST YEAR’S COSTS, ESTIMATED AT 45 MILLION. SECURITY COSTS SKYROCKETING AFTER RYAN ROUTH ATTEMPTED TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP ON HIS GOLF COURSE WHILE TRUMP WAS STILL A CANDIDATE. AND IT HASN’T STOPPED. BRADSHAW TELLS ME HE WILL SOON HAVE TO ASK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO AGAIN GO INTO THE RESERVE ACCOUNT TO TIDE OVER THE COST FOR THIS YEAR. AND THE COUNTY SAYS IT’S ALMOST DEPLETED ITS CONTINGENCY FUND BY HAVING TO PAY FOR ALL OF THIS EXTRA SECURITY. AND IT’S UNCLEAR WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOIN
Security costs rise in Palm Beach as Trump hosts international leaders
Updated: 11:05 AM EST Jan 3, 2026
Security is heightened in Palm Beach as President Donald Trump hosts high-profile guests, including the U.S. ambassador to China, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with significant costs involved.The responsibility of ensuring the safety of these dignitaries and politicians falls on several law enforcement agencies, including the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. WPBF 25 News investigative reporter Terri Parker spoke with Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw about the security measures and their financial implications. Security is tight not only at Mar-a-Lago but also along the roads and routes used by the president and other dignitaries. The presence of these high-profile visitors has doubled the cost for Palm Beach County.Over the weekend, President Zelenskyy met with President Trump to discuss a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. On Monday, Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived and stayed at the nearby Four Seasons Hotel until Thursday, with the area heavily guarded throughout his visit.”We were busy,” Sheriff Bradshaw said. “FHP really helped us out a lot. They sent troopers now to help us with the motorcades. But, you know, to locate we had two locations that we had to secure one at the Four Seasons. And of course, Mar-A-Lago was already done.”Bradshaw explained that hundreds of deputies are tasked with patrolling and guarding any area where high-profile individuals may be present, a significant undertaking. “But, you know, our biggest concern was if we were going to have protests, you know, that Netanyahu sometimes can draw some. So, you know, pretty angry people. and some of the protests. So, we were pretty prepared for that, over there,” he said.The sheriff emphasized the need for constant vigilance, with deputies on 24/7 duty, and noted that the cost of security almost doubles when visiting heads of state are in town. Bradshaw estimates the daily cost at $400,000, which the federal government is supposed to reimburse.Palm Beach County is still awaiting payment for last year’s costs, estimated at $45 million, which skyrocketed after an assassination attempt on Trump while he was a candidate. Bradshaw indicated that he would soon need to request additional funds from county commissioners to cover this year’s expenses.The county has nearly depleted its contingency fund by allocating millions to the sheriff’s budget, and it remains unclear when the federal government will begin reimbursing these costs.
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. —
Security is heightened in Palm Beach as President Donald Trump hosts high-profile guests, including the U.S. ambassador to China, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with significant costs involved.
The responsibility of ensuring the safety of these dignitaries and politicians falls on several law enforcement agencies, including the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. WPBF 25 News investigative reporter Terri Parker spoke with Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw about the security measures and their financial implications. Security is tight not only at Mar-a-Lago but also along the roads and routes used by the president and other dignitaries. The presence of these high-profile visitors has doubled the cost for Palm Beach County.
Over the weekend, President Zelenskyy met with President Trump to discuss a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. On Monday, Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived and stayed at the nearby Four Seasons Hotel until Thursday, with the area heavily guarded throughout his visit.
“We were busy,” Sheriff Bradshaw said. “FHP really helped us out a lot. They sent troopers now to help us with the motorcades. But, you know, to locate we had two locations that we had to secure one at the Four Seasons. And of course, Mar-A-Lago was already done.”
Bradshaw explained that hundreds of deputies are tasked with patrolling and guarding any area where high-profile individuals may be present, a significant undertaking. “But, you know, our biggest concern was if we were going to have protests, you know, that Netanyahu sometimes can draw some. So, you know, pretty angry people. and some of the protests. So, we were pretty prepared for that, over there,” he said.
The sheriff emphasized the need for constant vigilance, with deputies on 24/7 duty, and noted that the cost of security almost doubles when visiting heads of state are in town. Bradshaw estimates the daily cost at $400,000, which the federal government is supposed to reimburse.
Palm Beach County is still awaiting payment for last year’s costs, estimated at $45 million, which skyrocketed after an assassination attempt on Trump while he was a candidate. Bradshaw indicated that he would soon need to request additional funds from county commissioners to cover this year’s expenses.
The county has nearly depleted its contingency fund by allocating millions to the sheriff’s budget, and it remains unclear when the federal government will begin reimbursing these costs.