President Donald Trump says his long weekend at his home in Bedminister, New Jersey is saving that taxpayers money, even as Congress is setting aside millions in extra funding to pay for his getaways.

Challenged about the claim, the White House doubled down on Friday, even stating that Trump's decision to bring his entourage to his golf club was a cost-cutting measure to help taxpayers.

'This is the president's first time to go home to the New York metro area. And I think he's trying to save the taxpayers money the best way he can by taking his team and focused in being in New Jersey instead of in New York where it would have caused a much greater disruption and most greater cost to taxpayers,' said principal deputy spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

''Had he stayed in Manhattan the disruption would have been far greater,' she said, while failing to address a third option she got pressed on – having the president return to the White House and work from there.

Trump flew to his home at his Bedminster golf club, located about 40 miles outside New York City, on Thursday night – and tweeted Friday morning that he was cutting costs by working from one of his homes.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK: President Donald waves as he steps out of Air Force One during his arrival at JFK International airport in New York, Thursday, May 4. On Thursday night, he flew to his home in Bedminster, New Jersey rather than return to the White House

He made the claim after the Congress cleared a spending bill that provides an additional $120 million to pay for the costs of protecting the president and his family as they jet between residences and other far-flung locales.

'Rather than causing a big disruption in N.Y.C., I will be working out of my home in Bedminster, N.J. this weekend. Also saves country money!' Trump tweeted Friday morning.

The White House backed up his claim, going after reporters for allegedly complaining that the White House works too hard, and saying Trump was 'trying to save the taxpayers money' by bringing his entourage to New Jersey instead of Manhattan – although leaving out the third option of Trump flying back to the White House.

'Look, this is the president's first time to be back in the New York metro area and he's staying at his private residence in New Jersey versus staying in Manhattan,' Huckabee Sanders told reporters.

'Had he stayed in Manhattan the disruption would have been far greater than being in New Jersey. The bottom line is the president is the president no matter where he goes, and he doesn't get to control the level of cost and security that may come along with that.'

Asked about Trump's 14 weekends away, Sanders pushed back: 'You guys complain we work too much around here and that you're too tired and now we don't work enough?' she said.

URBAN AID: President Trump tweeted that he was working from his home on a New Jersey golf course in order to avoid causing a disruption in New York City

Marine One helicopter, with President Donald Trump aboard, touches down at Wall Street landing zone in New York, Thursday, May 4, 2017

Then she again described the trip to the Trump Organization-owned golf course as a taxpayer money saver.

'This is the president's first time to go home to the New York metro area. And I think he's trying to save the taxpayers money the best way he can by taking his team and focused in being in New Jersey instead of in New York where it would have caused a much greater disruption and most greater cost to taxpayers,' she said.

Presidential travel in New York City can cause major traffic disruptions, as is evident whenever the president attends meetings at the UN.

A weekend trip by Trump during the presidential transition cost local authorities in New Jersey about $4,000 in overtime and other costs. The town of Bedminister estimates it will spend $12,000 per day when Trump visits his New Jersey home.

Trump has visited Mar-a-Lago, where he owns a home, for a total of 25 days so far during his presidency, incurring additional costs. The club in West Palm beach, Florida is now closed for the season.

DEFICIT REDUCTION: Principal deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters President Trump is 'trying to save the taxpayers money the best way he can by taking his team and focused in being in New Jersey instead of in New York'

Bedminster has just 16 police officers, including its chief, and will likely have to shell out $12,000 per day to protect the president when he is in town

Government documents released by conservative transparency group Judicial Watch reveal that it costs taxpayers $600,000 in airfare alone each time Trump flies to Mar-a-Lago.

Under a spending bill passed by the House and Senate, the feds will pay an additional $23 million to protect first lady Melania Trump and Barron Trump at their Trump Tower home once President Donald Trump signs a bill to fund the government this week.

WORKING FROM HOMES: President Donald Trump (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) pose together at the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida. County authorities are eligible for reimbursement for their security costs

The first lady flew with Trump to Bedminster after Trump's event Thursday night with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull aboard the decommissioned U.S.S. Intrepid, the White House confirmed.

The funding will be used to pay to better fortify the 5th Avenue tower and pay and equip those who protect it while the first lady continue to live there while the Trumps' son Barron attends school.

President Trump hasn't set foot inside the tower, which houses both the Trump Organization and the penthouse where his wife and son live, since he was inaugurated.

Localities that supplement protection when Trump travels, the NYPD and law enforcement in Palm Beach County, Florida, are set to get $60 million in reimbursement from the federal government under an omnibus spending bill agreed to by congressional negotiators and the administration, the New York Times reported.

LET'S CARPOOL: President Donald Trump arrives at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, aboard Air Force One, Friday April 28, 2017 in Atlanta. He traveled to New York aboard the plane, then choppered to New Jersey

YOU CAN TAKE THE A TRAIN: Marine One helicopter, with President Donald Trump aboard, prepares to land at Wall Street landing zone in New York, Thursday, May 4, 2017

THERE WERE CARS, TOO: Motorcade and support vehicles for President Donald Trump arrive at Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, NJ., Thursday, May 4, 2017. Trump is spending the weekend at his New Jersey golf course and is scheduled to return to Washington on Sunday

Trump's golf course in Bedminister, New Jersey (pictured) has bought him considerable goodwill with some of the locals, and money spent on protecting him can be reclaimed from the federal budget

The feds also pay to protect Trump Tower, where first lady Melania Trump lives. The spending legislation that cleared Congress includes $60 million for NYPD and Palm Beach authorities for costs they incur protecting Trump assets like Trump Tower

Donald Trump is skipping New York and Mar-a-lago for a weekend retreat in the sleepy town of Bedminster, New Jersey, where he owns a golf course

TRAFFIC IS NOT AN ISSUE: President Donald Trump shakes hands with 89th Airlift Wing Commander Col. Casey Eaton as they walks from Marine One to board Air Force One, Saturday, April, 29, 2017, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md., en route to Harrisburg, Pa. He flew on Marine One from downtown Manhattan to Bedminister, New Jersey Thursday night

THEY HAVE GOLF THERE: The entrance to Trump National Golf Club is seen in Bedminster, N.J., Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Bedminster can also apply for reimbursement.

The Mar-a-Lago trips have now accumulated costs into the millions.

Not included in the Judicial Watch reports showing airfare expenses are any of the expenses for Secret Service protection or support vehicles provided by the Department of Defense, suggesting that the grand total is significantly higher.

President Trump has already visited Mar-a-Lago seven times while in office. If each trip's costs reflect the data collected by Judicial Watch, his vacations have likely cost taxpayers over $4.2 million for air travel alone.

One trip in early February cost about $670,000, and a second trip in March cost about $612,000, according to the documents, which were released by the US Air Force under the Freedom of Information Act.

However that number could prove to be much higher. In separate data collected by NBC in April, each of his Mar-a-Lago trips cost taxpayers at least $1million, and as much as $3million.