When it comes to the current administration, controversy seems to always find its way in. One of the current issues with President Donald Trump is the amount of money spent by the Secret Service to protect the president.

More specifically when the president stays at one of his properties, the Secret Service has to pay for the rooms they stay in.

According to the Washington Post, the Secret Service has spent around $471,000 for the room and board from Jan. 2017 to April 2018. The rate each night is up to $650.

Almost $500,000 is a lot of money. This money is coming from the taxpayers. The government’s money comes from hard-working people and is spent on many frivolous things.

This money could be used in many other aspects of the government.

Thankfully the president has refused his presidential salary since his inauguration.

The president gets $400,000 a year. Each quarter he gives away $100,000 to different departments in the government. According to Politico, the president has given his salary to the departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Education and many others.

The Department of Health and Human Services money went to fighting the opioid crisis in America. The Department of Education money went to a science, technology, engineering, math and STEM camp for children.

Just like Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy, he joins the ranks of presidents who have refused their salary. The common denominator between these presidents is their wealthy backgrounds.

One argument would be to give the rooms to the Secret Service for free. The problem with that is doing that would be a tax write off.

More taxpayer dollars might be spent then now. The real problem will come after his presidency.

The president and the first lady will still need to be protected by the Secret Service for the rest of their lives.

Congress has gone back and forth on if the president should be protected for life or to put a 10- year restriction on it. According to The Balance, congress in 2012 changed the 1994 ruling from 10 years to lifetime protection.

Taxpayer money is being spent on the president when it shouldn’t be. At the same time, the president is putting his money back into departments that directly affect the taxpayers.

Since his inauguration, $12 million dollars has been given back to better the taxpayers’ lives, so maybe after all, he is giving back.