Furloughs at Trump golf resort become permanent layoffs

The Trump Organization has notified Florida state authorities of plans to lay off dozens of workers who were previously furloughed as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

David Feder, Trump National Doral Miami’s managing director, wrote to state and local officials that the resort has only partially reopened following the governor’s order allowing the state’s economy to begin reopening, The Associated Press reported. 

Much of the facility’s business will remain closed or partially open for some time, resulting in the company revising revenue forecasts, according to Feder.

“Accordingly, we have had to reassess our initial understanding of the circumstances facing the Resort given new and unforeseeable information about the severity and duration of the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business,” he wrote.

The Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment from The Hill. As many as 250 employees who previously saw their jobs temporarily furloughed will be affected, according to the AP. A total of 560 employees were furloughed in March.

The president’s Doral Miami resort was the subject of controversy last year when President Trump announced that the Group of Seven nations would hold its annual meeting at the resort. The move drew criticism from experts who warned that it would violate the Constitution’s clause preventing gifts to federal employees.

Trump later abandoned those plans, citing the criticism.