Obama Travel Cost US Taxpayers Nearly $100Mln

A Judicial Watch report reveals that Barack Obama's family travel cost American taxpayers almost $100 million.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Newly released records show that US President Barack Obama's family travel cost American taxpayers almost $100 million, a watchdog group said on Wednesday.

"Records from the Secret Service and the Air Force [released] in response to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests that show Obama family travel cost taxpayers $99,714,527.82," Judicial Watch said in a statement.

The release of the records comes amid growing criticism over the travel costs incurred by President Donald Trump, who has made several visits since his election to his estate in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

The most expensive Obama family travel bill came from their 2013 Africa trip and Honolulu vacation, which cost US taxpayers $15,885,585 in flight expenses alone, according to the watchdog.

Among the other pricey trips that Judicial Watch detailed was a March 2014 visit to Key Largo that racked up a bill of $1,133,510 in hotels, travel expenses and Air Force One flight costs.

Meanwhile Michelle Obama's February 2015 visit to Aspen, Colorado cost US taxpayers a total of $121,876 in hotels, travel expenses and Air Force One Flight costs.

Judicial Watch said it was also tracking the cost of Trump's travel, noting that two of the president's weekend visits to Mar-a-Lago cost taxpayers $1,281,420.