Trump takes his marathon Cabinet meetings to Camp David

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President Donald Trump is taking Friday’s Cabinet meeting out of the White House and to Camp David, the secluded presidential retreat in Maryland, for what officials say will be a day of extended discussions and team-building.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the meeting would give Cabinet members “something different” and described the gathering as “a lot of fun.”

It will be the 13th Cabinet meeting of Trump’s second term and the first to be held at Camp David after an earlier attempt in May was canceled because of bad weather. Trump also held one Cabinet meeting at the retreat during his first term.

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum (L), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C) and US President Donald Trump attend a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House (AFP/Getty)

Trump’s Cabinet meetings have become known for their marathon length, often lasting several hours as department heads deliver updates and frequently praise the president and his agenda.

Unlike previous administrations, Trump allows television cameras to remain in the room for the public portion of the meetings, a practice the White House says demonstrates his commitment to transparency.

The president has acknowledged the meetings can run long and recently encouraged Cabinet officials to shorten their remarks.

Former President George W. Bush (L) and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair shake hands after a joint press conference 23 February 2001, in Thurmont, Maryland, down the road from the presidential retreat Camp David (AFP/Getty)

“Everybody around here has got a lot to say,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting in May. “We did that once, and it lasted for like four or five hours. It was a little much.”

Camp David has served as the presidential retreat since 1942, when Franklin D. Roosevelt established it as a secure getaway during World War II. Originally called Shangri-La, it was renamed Camp David by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after his grandson.

The 180-acre compound has long been used for both private presidential retreats and high-level diplomacy. President Jimmy Carter hosted Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin there in 1978, leading to the Camp David Accords, one of the most significant Middle East peace agreements.

Former President Joe Biden, center, greets South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, on Aug. 18, 2023, at Camp David — Former President Joe Biden, center, greets South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, on Aug. 18, 2023, at Camp David (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Trump visited Camp David more frequently during his first term than he has during his second. His most recent trip came in June for Father’s Day.

In 2019, Trump announced he had canceled a planned secret meeting at Camp David with Taliban leaders and the Afghan president after a bombing in Kabul killed a U.S. soldier and several others.

Operated by the U.S. Navy and protected by Marines, Camp David includes the president’s private cabin, guest lodges, conference facilities, a dining hall, fitness center, bowling alley, movie theater, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, and a chapel.

The retreat’s primary purpose is to provide presidents with a secure location to work, meet with world leaders and spend time away from Washington.