Former U.S. President Donald Trump departed Washington, D.C., for his Florida golf courses ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, a move that has renewed criticism from long‑time political opponents and reopened debate over his handling of the Russia investigation and his ongoing role in Republican politics. The trip, reported on Thursday from Washington and Palm Beach, comes as Trump remains a dominant figure in U.S. politics, with allies describing the Florida visit as routine and critics portraying it as emblematic of unresolved controversies surrounding his presidency.


Donald Trump walking outdoors near vehicles, with security present
Former U.S. President Donald Trump during a public appearance.

Background: From Washington to Florida Over Thanksgiving

Trump’s holiday travel to his properties in Florida has been a regular feature of his political career, both during and after his presidency. According to contemporaneous reporting from major U.S. outlets such as The Washington Post and The New York Times, Trump frequently used Thanksgiving and other holidays to host allies, donors and advisers at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach and at nearby golf courses.

In this instance, Trump’s early departure from Washington has been framed by critics as symbolically tied to unfinished disputes over the Russia investigation—formally the Special Counsel inquiry led by Robert Mueller between 2017 and 2019—and to the broader question of accountability for actions taken during his time in office. Supporters, however, argue that the focus on his travel plans is political theater and note that previous presidents have also left Washington ahead of major holidays.

  • Location: Departure from Washington, D.C., to Trump properties in Florida
  • Timing: Ahead of the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday
  • Key Issue: Ongoing fallout over Russia-related investigations and Trump’s political future

Opposition Reaction and the ‘Can’t Make This Up’ Fury

Trump’s critics have responded with renewed anger and disbelief, often expressed in stark terms on social media and in televised commentary. The phrase “can’t make this up” has been used by several political opponents and commentators to describe what they see as a pattern of norm‑breaking behavior by the former president, from travel optics to his continued refusal to accept certain investigative findings related to Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

Opponents argue that Trump’s decision to prioritize a high‑profile Florida visit, complete with golf outings and donor meetings, over remaining in Washington underscores what they describe as a lack of accountability for issues stemming from the Russia investigation and other controversies.

Commentators aligned with the Democratic Party have used the trip to emphasize their view that Trump is attempting to project normalcy despite ongoing legal and political disputes. Some have drawn parallels with past flashpoints, including Trump’s public statements about Russian President Vladimir Putin and his criticism of U.S. intelligence assessments on Russian election interference, as documented by the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee.


Supporters’ Perspective: Routine Travel and Political Strategy

Trump’s allies dismiss the outrage as overstated and politically motivated. They note that presidential and post‑presidential travel to personal residences or favored locations is longstanding practice in U.S. politics. Supporters point to previous presidents who have spent holidays at private homes or vacation properties away from Washington, arguing that Trump’s Florida trips fit within that tradition.

Republican strategists see the Florida setting as advantageous for Trump’s continuing influence within the party. Palm Beach and the greater South Florida area have become hubs for conservative donors, media figures and political organizations. Meetings held there, according to reporting from Politico, have frequently involved discussions of campaign endorsements, fundraising and messaging ahead of key midterm and presidential election cycles.

Defenders further argue that investigations related to Russia have run their course. They cite the final report from Special Counsel Mueller, publicly released in redacted form by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2019, which did not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, although it detailed extensive contacts and interference efforts. From this perspective, continued criticism linking Trump’s travel to the Russia inquiry is seen as an attempt to revive settled disputes.


Russia Investigation: A Continuing Political Fault Line

The Russia investigation remains central to how many Americans interpret Trump’s actions, including symbolic moments such as his holiday travel. The Mueller investigation, launched in 2017, examined Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, potential links to the Trump campaign, and possible obstruction of justice. Its findings, summarized by the Justice Department and made public in stages, concluded that Russia interfered “in sweeping and systematic fashion” but did not bring conspiracy charges against Trump or his campaign.

However, the report did not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice, explicitly stating that it could not conclude the president had committed no offense. This ambiguity has fueled years of partisan debate. House and Senate investigations, along with independent analyses by organizations such as the Brookings Institution, have continued to dissect the report’s implications and the broader question of foreign influence on U.S. elections.

Trump has consistently rejected the investigations’ legitimacy, calling them a “witch hunt” and maintaining that his campaign did nothing wrong. Critics counter that the documented Russian interference and contacts with campaign associates warrant ongoing scrutiny. These opposing interpretations color reactions to nearly every high‑profile move by the former president, including his Thanksgiving departure from Washington.


Media Coverage and Public Perception

News organizations across the political spectrum have framed Trump’s Thanksgiving travel through different lenses. Outlets with more critical editorial stances toward Trump, such as CNN and MSNBC, have emphasized the timing of the trip, reactions from opponents, and the enduring controversy over Russia. Conservative‑leaning platforms, including Fox News, have focused more on policy debates, upcoming elections and the routine nature of presidential holiday schedules.

Public perception is similarly polarized. Surveys by organizations such as the Pew Research Center have repeatedly found that Americans’ views on Trump, the Russia investigation and the legitimacy of related probes closely align with party identification. For many voters, these issues have become a proxy for deeper disagreements over the role of institutions such as the FBI, Department of Justice and intelligence agencies in U.S. politics.

The viral language used by some critics—phrases comparable to “can’t make this up”—has amplified the story on social media platforms, where short, emotionally charged reactions often gain more traction than detailed explanations. Analysts note that this dynamic can further entrench partisan narratives, with each side sharing headlines and commentary that confirm their prior views.


Visuals: Florida, Washington and the Politics of Optics

The contrast between Washington’s political backdrop and Florida’s resort setting has become an important part of how Trump’s activities are perceived. Images of the former president boarding aircraft, arriving at golf courses and greeting supporters in Palm Beach feature prominently in news and social media coverage, reinforcing narratives about power, leisure and distance from the capital’s institutional constraints.

Palm trees lined along a Florida street near the coastline
Florida’s resort communities, including Palm Beach, have become central to Trump’s post‑presidency political activity. Photo: Pexels / Royalty‑free.

Political strategists from both parties acknowledge that such visuals can shape public understanding as much as policy speeches or official statements. For supporters, images of Trump among loyal crowds in Florida communicate resilience and continued relevance. For critics, the same scenes can symbolize a retreat from accountability or an effort to maintain political influence from outside traditional government channels.



What Trump’s Thanksgiving Trip Signals for U.S. Politics

Analysts note that Trump’s Thanksgiving departure from Washington underscores his enduring role as a central figure in U.S. political debate, even when not holding office. The trip highlights how symbolic actions—such as where a political leader spends a major holiday—are interpreted through the lens of larger disputes, including the Russia investigation, institutional trust and the future direction of the Republican Party.

Looking ahead, observers expect Florida to remain a base of operations for Trump’s political activity, including endorsements, fundraising and public events. Whether critics’ frustration over episodes like this holiday travel translates into concrete policy or electoral consequences will likely depend on how voters weigh these symbolic moments against broader concerns such as the economy, foreign policy and domestic governance.

As Thanksgiving passes and political attention turns to upcoming election cycles, Trump’s movements between Washington and Florida are expected to continue drawing close media scrutiny and strong reactions from both supporters and opponents, reflecting the deep polarization that still defines American politics.