Secret Service signs $34,000 contract to park its cars in New York City to protect Trump

Jessica Estepa | USA TODAY

President Trump has only made one stop to New York City since taking office, but the Secret Service is already planning ahead.

The agency charged with protecting the president signed a contract at the start of September to secure parking for its protective vehicles when it visits the city. The initial cost for the first year, from September 2017 to the end of August 2018: $33,600.

The contract also includes options to extend it for up to three years. If the contract is indeed fulfilled through August 2021, when the extensions would end, the Secret Service will end up spending $139,200. That amounts to $35,200 per year for those additional three years.

The contract was reviewed by USA TODAY and flagged by the progressive super PAC American Bridge. The group has been critical of the mounting costs of the Trump presidency.

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"Trump's made one trip to New York during his presidency, and U.S. taxpayers are already on the hook for nearly $140,000 in parking?" American Bridge spokesman Brad Bainum said. "This is just the latest example of Trump wasting huge amounts of taxpayer dollars on himself, when he should be focused on coming up with a jobs plan and an infrastructure bill."

The actual cost of parking per visit is unclear, given that the number of times Trump will go to New York is unknown. While the president has only visited New York once since taking office in January, his visits may increase down the line for a variety of reasons. For example, he'll be in New York this month for the U.N. General Assembly.

The Secret Service has faced financial problems during Trump's presidency. With Trump's frequent travel (and the need to secure the residences he visits on most weekends) and his large family, USA TODAY reported last month that more than 1,000 agents have already hit their federally mandated salary and overtime caps for the year.

The Secret Service is required to pay its own way because the agency is forbidden from accepting funding or resources that have not been appropriated by Congress. The regulations are meant to guard the agency from any possible compromise of its protective mission.