Once loyal members of former U.S. president Donald Trump's Mar-A Lago resort are reportedly quitting as many no longer want to be associated or connected to the politician.
An author who wrote a definitive book about the resort said that the place had become "dispirited" after Trump lost the election.
Laurence Leamer, the author of "Mar-a-Lago: Inside the Gates of Power at Donald Trump's Presidential Palace," said that some members had "silently walked out" after President Joe Biden took over the White House.
Leamer said that other former members claimed that they were "not concerned about politics" but had left as the quality of the service and the food had declined. The resort reportedly reduced its staff and entertainment on the property was cut.
A number of guests at the resort claimed that it had "lost a step" after it was no longer catering to the sitting president of the country.
"It's a sad place ... it's not what it was," Leamer said.
Some celebrities had previously criticized and ridiculed the resort, stating that it was nothing more than a stuffy club filled with Trump memorabilia. Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel visited the resort and described it as a "comical" place.
"You could not possibly exaggerate how comical it is. Everyone there is 100 years old," Kimmel said on The Ringer's: "The Bill Simmons Podcast."
Reduced memberships could result in a smaller paycheck for Trump. During his presidency, some people paid up to $200,000 for a membership.
Trump's businesses, particularly his hotel and hospitality companies, were hit hard during the pandemic. However, his Mar-a-Lago resort had managed to thrive and reported an increase in revenue last year. The resort reported a revenue increase of $24.2 million from $21.4 million in 2019.
Trump officially transferred to Florida from New York in 2019. He moved to a permanent resident within the resort from the Trump Tower. Leamer said that most of the residents of Palm Beach don't really like Trump even though they voted for him.
