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Who are some notable members of Mar-a-Lago?
Executive summary
Public reporting has identified many notable past and present Mar‑a‑Lago guests and members — lists published in 2017 named dozens of Wall Street financiers, real‑estate moguls, energy executives and donors, and later reporting and leaked lists and visitor chronicles have named figures from sports, entertainment and politics such as James Patterson, Bill Belichick, James Dolan, Jeff Greene, Elon Musk, Tiger Woods and GOP donors like Miriam Adelson and Steve Wynn [1] [2] [3] [4]. The club’s membership has been described as roughly 400–500 people with a $200,000 initiation fee (doubled from earlier levels) and annual dues around $14,000, and transparency concerns about access to a sitting president prompted congressional questions and reporting [1] [5] [6].
1. A short history: from Post heiress to members‑only power salon
Mar‑a‑Lago was built in the 1920s by Marjorie Merriweather Post and converted by Donald Trump into a members‑only club in 1995; its role as a social and political hub expanded when Trump used it frequently as a “Winter White House,” prompting ethical scrutiny about who gains informal access to him there [7] [1] [5].
2. Who’s on the lists reporters obtained in 2017
When The New York Times and Politico published incomplete membership lists in 2017, journalists noted at least 25 current or former CEOs and many financiers, real‑estate developers and energy executives among roughly 500 members — names singled out in roundups included author James Patterson and other business figures; reporters used those lists to flag possible conflicts of interest given the club’s proximity to presidential activity [1] [5] [8].
3. Sports, media and celebrity figures reported or rumoured
Subsequent reporting and “leaked” lists have attached sports and entertainment names to the club: coverage has identified Bill Belichick and James Dolan among those reported on lists, and outlets have repeatedly chronicled celebrity appearances and dinners at Mar‑a‑Lago over the years [2] [9]. Note: some celebrity membership claims have been publicly denied in particular cases (for example, reporting says Sylvester Stallone was an invited dinner guest but a People spokesperson denied he was a member — that denial is noted in media coverage) [8].
4. Billionaires, GOP donors and foreign ties flagged by 2025 reporting
More recent pieces cataloguing visitors to Mar‑a‑Lago since Trump’s later political activity name high‑profile billionaires and major GOP donors — examples cited include Miriam Adelson, John Catsimatidis, Harold Hamm, Steve Wynn and an Emirati partner, Hussain Sajwani — and sketch out an expanded set of visitors including technology and business leaders such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos [4].
5. Visitors vs. members — an important distinction
Reporting distinguishes paying, sponsored members (the club’s roughly 400–500 memberships that require a large initiation fee and annual dues) from episodic visitors, guests or dignitaries invited to events; much of the public attention and concern centered on how non‑member visitors and members alike might have private access to a sitting president when he conducted official business at the club [1] [6].
6. Transparency, ethics and the “Winter White House” debate
Democratic senators and watchdogs urged publication of Mar‑a‑Lago visitor logs and member lists amid questions about conflicts of interest and informal policy discussions held there — that pressure produced legislation proposals and sustained coverage about where private club membership and public office intersect [10] [1].
7. What open sources do and do not show
Available sources provide named examples from the 2017 membership lists, later leaked lists and 2024–2025 visitor reporting, but they do not provide a single authoritative, up‑to‑date roster of current members; outlets rely on earlier published lists, leaks, event photos and club statements, and some reported membership claims have been disputed or clarified in the press [1] [2] [8] [3].
8. Why the makeup of Mar‑a‑Lago’s network matters
Journalists and ethics experts framed the membership and visitor mix as consequential because it concentrated business leaders, donors, celebrities and foreign figures in a private setting where a president has met with foreign leaders and advisers; coverage repeatedly ties the club’s elite social cachet and fees to concerns about informal influence and access [1] [7] [6].
Limitations and next steps: reporting across outlets captures many notable names and visits but no single source in the provided set publishes a comprehensive, current Mar‑a‑Lago membership roster; for specific confirmation of any individual’s current membership status, available sources do not mention a definitive contemporary list and individual membership claims should be checked against direct statements or more recent, primary reporting (not found in current reporting).