Obama enjoys a luxurious vacation in Hawaii while the rest of the nation struggles to pay their bills
The White House said President Obama and his family will spend their eighth straight Christmas in Hawaii. The first family will be leaving Dec. 18 and coming back after the New Year.
Events could delay the president's trip, however, according to White House spokesperson Josh Earnest. The White House did not confirm if the Obamas would be staying at the so-called "Magnum P.I." house, a $8.7 million beachside retreat once used in the '80s television show. The estate on the east side of Oahu was purchased earlier this year by attorney Matt Nesbitt, chair of the Barack Obama Foundation, which is planning the president's future library.
The president usually enjoys golf, snorkeling and family trips during his vacations. The president began the yearly tradition in 2008, before he took the oath of office. He generally meet with service members in Hawaii as well.
Local media reported Secret Service was already in the area and residents had received security information related to Kailua Bay. The Federal Aviation Administration has also issued temporary flight restrictions for the area from Dec. 19-Jan. 4.
How much does the trip cost?
Judicial Watch tracks costs related to presidential trips, including what it costs to operate Air Force One.
Three trips earlier this year - a Palm Springs golf trip in June, a trip to New York in July and a visit to Martha's Vineyard in August - cost the U.S. $3.1 million in travel expenses alone. It costs about $206,000 per hour to operate the president's private plane.
Last year's Obama family Christmas trip cost $3.7 million in flight expenses alone, with 17.8 hours in the air round-trip. Housing and security costs are on top of that amount but not all that information is released to the public.
Those expenses don't sit well with everyone.
"The Obamas' travel is out of control. They are treating the Air Force One like an Uber ride." said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "And President Obama seems oblivious to the burden he is placing on Americans with his continuous vacations, getaways, and political junkets at taxpayer expense."
Comment: Obama is another elite who doesn't care about the fact that the American taxpayers have to foot the bill for his extravagant vacations. The average American can barely make ends meet and isn't even guaranteed paid vacation and holidays, yet here Obama is, rubbing his nose in the rest of the country's face, cavorting around the Hawaiian Islands on the taxpayer's dime. If he had an ounce of sympathy and awareness he wouldn't dare take a two-week vacation, but like all the American elites he lacks both of those traits and thus has no compunction about using millions in taxpayer money to give him and his family another Christmas vacation.