An Ex Mar-A-Lago Staffer Spilled What It's Really Like To Work For The Trumps

In a no-holds-barred op-ed, former employee Ashleigh Sasson spilled what it was really like working at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago from 2016 to 2018. After being approached by a chef from Mar-a-Lago, Sasson applied in early 2016. This proved beneficial, and according to Sasson, she worked many positions — from reception to valet. Ultimately, she landed a consistent bartending and serving role at the Mar-a-Lago Beach Club. Sasson describes the Beach Club as a fast-paced oceanside environment where she made good money, writing for Newsweek that she "could easily go home with around $150 cash" each shift. Curiously, this is actually lower than the $200 average a bartender in Florida makes — at least, according to Binwise. 

While working at the Beach Club, Sasson says she got to meet "all the Trumps." She said that she "found the former president Donald Trump to be very professional, always smiling, kind, and generous." However, she claims her time around Donald Trump was short-lived as "after he got elected in November it was completely different; he wasn't really allowed to come to The Beach Club anymore as president." This is an interesting thing to allege, as there is ample proof Trump often visited Mar-a-Lago during his presidency, ultimately costing taxpayers millions of dollars by doing so. However, Sasson did directly interact with the Trump children — and catering to their extended family became a significant part of her job description.

According to Ashleigh Sasson in her Newsweek editorial, the extended Trump family is fairly enmeshed in the Mar-a-Lago Beach Club. There is even a salad named after Jared Kushner, the husband of Ivanka Trump. It consists of chopped romaine, corn, chickpeas, avocado, cheese, roasted bell peppers, tomatoes, and dressing. The salad remains kosher as long as Kushner doesn't add any of the available protein options. Sasson noticed that Ivanka and Jared's children ate healthily, while Eric and Lara Trump's children were more fond of fried foods and all the available sweets. Sasson also mentioned that Barron — whose athletic prowess Donald Trump has boasted about – spent much of his time kicking a soccer ball around, with his grandmother "following close behind." 

Sasson also mentioned that it was protocol never to let any of the extended Trump family members see their bill. It was also common for them not to tip their server with cash, often leaving a tip "in the form of verbal appreciation and respect." However, Sasson goes on to say that the 45th president would tip generously and often, claiming, "The only one to show money on the property was the former president, and that was to show generosity and gratitude." Hopefully, he wasn't using taxpayer dollars for those tips.