After massive outrage, US State Department removes Mar-a-Lago blog post

After raising eyebrows with a blog post touting President Donald Trump's personally owned private Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, the State Department has removed the post. The post was available to all embassies through Share America, a State Department program for US embassies, reports CNN.

'The intention of the article was to inform the public about where the President has been hosting world leaders. We regret any misperception and have removed the post,' reads a statement on the Share America website. However, the article remains on the US Embassy in London's website, but officials say the post is expected to be removed.

Mar-a-Lago has already benefited massively from Trump's presidency, as the club raised its initiation fee from $100,000 to $200,000 after Trump was elected and members and former members around Mar-a-Lago have said there is now an added cachet with frequently visiting the President's club.

'Aggressively begging foreign countries to funnel money straight into Trump's pocket is a clear violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause, but that's precisely what the State Department is doing by openly promoting one of the Trumps' private businesses.

It's a gross abuse of taxpayer resources and flagrant violation of the law from an administration that thinks rules don't apply to them,' Shripal Shah, vice president of American Bridge, a Democratic firm, said.

The Share America story, which labels Mar-a-Lago the 'winter White House,' a term which Trump has taken to using, elaborates about the history of the property and how Trump was set to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at the property in April.

Trump has entertained foreign dignitaries -- including Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe -- but he has also spent considerable time on the golf course, including at his nearby Trump International Golf Club.

-ANI