Mar-a-Lago. Trump National Doral Miami. Trump Palace. Trump Royale. Trump International Beach Resort Miami. Trump Hollywood.
These Trump-owned or Trump-branded properties are in south Florida, in the path of Hurricane Irma. All are exalted by the Trump Organization and by the president himself. All could be underwater by the end of the century.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) predicts that the sea level will rise in south Florida by as much as 34in by 2050. The Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact says the increase could be up to 81in by 2100.
By 2045, according to a risk analysis prepared by Coastal Risk Consulting for the Guardian, the grounds of Mar-a-Lago could be under at least a foot of water for 210 days a year because of increased tidal flooding.
The Palm Beach complex, which Trump has begun to call the “winter White House”, is a source of pride for the president. Having described the private resort as the “best club in the world”, he hosted the Japanese prime minister there in February. He also believes Mar-a-Lago has the best meatloaf in America.
The main building at Mar-a-Lago will be safe – at least for 30 years – but the flooding will restrict access to the building and impact infrastructure, Coastal Risk Consulting said.
The president, who is 71, is unlikely to be around to see that happen. But he could bear witness to repeated flooding of other Trump properties.
In just 30 years’ time, the Trump Grande complex in Sunny Isles, Miami – consisting of the Trump Palace and Trump Royale condo buildings and the Trump International Beach Resort hotel – will be experiencing the effects of climate change. The resort could face tidal flooding and storm surges for 97 days a year, while its beaches could be badly affected by erosion.
The Trump Hollywood condos, about 12 miles north of Miami, “could be turned into islands” for 140 days a year.
Trump’s National Doral golf course is also at risk. In June the Orlando Sentinel reported that sea-level rise and associated flooding could cause severe damage. Even if the course remains intact, flooding would mean fewer days where the National Doral is actually playable.
In his book Crippled America – “The rhetoric of this book is both tired and tiring in equal measure,” according to Kings Review – Trump said, without explaining his reasoning, that he does not believe in climate change.
When the Guardian asked him about it in 2015, he would not respond. Trump has previously described the concept of climate change as a “hoax” invented by “the Chinese”.
Despite those beliefs, in 2016 Trump applied for planning permission to build a two-mile long wall on the beach next to his golf course in Doonbeg in Ireland. The application said the wall was necessary because of global warming and rising sea levels.