BY CIARA LINNANE
An 11-bedroom mansion owned by President Donald Trump on the Caribbean island of St. Martin is reported to have been torn apart by Hurricane Irma, while the luxury home of billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson in the British Virgin Islands was also destroyed.
The extent of the damage to Trump’s property is not yet fully known, but French officials said that the four most solid buildings on the island had “suffered serious damage,” making it unlikely Trump’s house had been spared.
A spokesperson for the Trump organization said precautions had been taken ahead of the storm without providing details of damage, according to media reports.
President Donald Trump has been trying to sell the property, a waterfront estate with a pool and fitness center, and lowered the listing price to $16.9 million from $28 million in August, according to the Washington Post.
In another blow to Trump, his seaside Mar-a-Lago resort was ordered to evacuate Friday morning, along with the barrier islands and low-lying areas of Palm Beach County, the Sun Sentinel newspaper confirmed. Trump has owned the private golf club since 1985. The president has vacationed and conducted business there numerous times early in his presidency, including hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other foreign leaders, sometimes raising controversy over security.
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