President Donald Trump made his final visit of the season to Palm Beach earlier this month, but things are looking a little different this year than they have been 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, that means long-term road closures and aviation restrictions.
His visit this year has been packed with news, from the announcement of the capture of Venezuela’s then-President Nicolas Maduro to attacks on Iran. Not to mention, his airport and a major road in town are named after him.
But on the ground, reporters for the USA TODAY Network’s Palm Beach Post and Palm Beach Daily News have noted that his visits have been somewhat quiet in recent months: During his first term, the road to Mar-a-Lago was packed with spectators, but this year is different.
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Meeting Trump in Palm Beach during first term
U.S. President Donald Trump’s motorcade paused briefly next to a group of supporters as he returned to the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, the United States, on March 4, 2017.
Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump hold signs as his motorcade passes through West Palm Beach, Florida, the United States, on January 13, 2018.
Supporters hold signs and banners to cheer President Trump after he arrives in West Palm Beach, Florida, on April 18, 2019.
Meeting Trump in Palm Beach during second term
On April 24, 2026, in West Palm Beach, Florida, the United States, US President Donald Trump’s motorcade passed by Trump supporters on the roadside.
Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump hold flags as he heads to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, the United States, on March 20, 2026.
A Trump supporter wears a Trump mask as he waits for the president to pass by in a motorcade heading to Mar-a-Lago on October 31, 2025.
Mar-a-Lago fleet area gets more restrictions
Security has been tight around the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach since 2017, during his first term in the White House.
But since the start of the season, security has become increasingly tight in response to what federal officials say is a growing threat to Trump’s life and family. The situation was further complicated by international tensions during the Iran War.
The most obvious and disruptive change was the U.S. Secret Service order to close Southern Ocean Boulevard near the club from March 3 to May 4. The road runs along the water’s edge of the island where Mar-a-Lago is located. As the United States and Israel launch attacks against Iran starting on February 28, the Secret Service said the closure of the road is part of “enhanced security measures” implemented by the agency in conjunction with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
A popular spot to watch Trump’s motorcade drive by is the Southern Boulevard Bridge across Bingham Island, just east of Mar-a-Lago. The parking lot near the bridge used to be free, but will be converted to paid parking in 2024.
Some supporters still gathered across from the West Palm Beach entrance to the Trump International Golf Club. In February, a brawl between a supporter and a protester led to the arrest of a 76-year-old man who was holding a “Not My President” flag. This isn’t the only protest against Trump. On March 28, thousands of people held “No King” protests at eight locations in Palm Beach County.
Trump has airports and roads named after him this year
While the road leading to his winter White House may not have as many spectators as in previous years, Southern Boulevard now bears his name.
The four-mile stretch between Palm Beach International Airport and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida was renamed the “Donald J. Trump Presidential Parkway” in January.
“When people see this beautiful sign that lights up at night and says Donald J. Trump Boulevard, they’re filled with pride, just pride, not my pride, but the pride of our country, yes, the pride of this state, because our state is going to be stronger, richer, more successful, and that’s what it is now,” Trump said at a sign presentation in January.
Palm Beach International Airport, the airport where Trump usually flies, will also soon be renamed Donald J. Trump International Airport after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation and it was approved by Palm Beach County commissioners. The new logo recommended by the Trump Organization is entirely gold.
Democrats flip Palm Beach state House seat
Nationally, Trump’s low approval ratings and Democratic strong showings in local elections have some wondering whether Trump’s enthusiasm is waning. Also in the Palm Beach area, the Trump-backed Republican candidate in the state House district where Mar-a-Lago is located lost to the Democrats.
Trump replaced Rep. Mike Caruso in the election, where he became circuit court clerk and Palm Beach County comptroller through mail-in voting. The president is endorsing Republican Jon Maples, who is running against Democrat Emily Gregory for the seat.
“To all the great patriots in Florida House District 87: Get out and vote for Jon Maples!” Trump said in a March 23 social media post.
But Gregory unexpectedly won. She will run for re-election in the fall.
“I believe that after November we will no longer be a super minority,” she said, according to the Palm Beach Post. “I’m the 34th Democrat (in the 120-member House) and I think we’re going to get six or more seats in November. At the same time, I like our chances of getting the governor’s mansion. I think there’s going to be a Democrat in the governor’s mansion and I’m going to have 40 or 40-plus seats in the state House, 40 Multiple seats. I don’t know much about the state Senate seats and I think if that happens next legislative session, we’re going to be a very different place, which would be very beneficial for all Floridians.”
Contributors: Mike Diamond, Christina Weber, Wayne Washington, Antonio Fins, John Bisonnano, Tom Elia, Valentina Palm, Hannah Phillips, USA Today
Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Wire correspondent for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. follow her X (Twitter), Number of threads, blue sky and Tik Tok.
This article originally appeared in USA TODAY: Audiences shrink on ‘Trump Strip’ as Trump visits Mar-a-Lago
