How many trips has Michelle Obama taken since becoming first lady?

Answer 1

We frequently get asked this question, and not just about Michelle Obama. A common discourse in society accuses First Ladies of being extravagant, greedy, materialistic, and living like Marie Antoinette while everyone else suffers. Such accusations, while fun for Talk Shows, are rarely accurate, and are generally based on partisan exaggeration. That said, the fact is that we do not have all of the costs for Mrs. Obama's vacations, since some of the expenses (secret service protection, for example) are private. Also, in several cases, she had friends accompanying her, but some sources say that these friends reimbursed the treasury for their expenses; we do not have a way to verify that, however.

What we do know is that based on reporting in major newspapers, Mrs. Obama has not spent more than other recent First Ladies, nor is there evidence she is extravagant. In fact, some sources report she likes to shop at stores like Target and the Gap. It should also be noted that many of her designer gowns (which she wears at formal dinners) are donated by the fashion designer, in exchange for the great publicity that comes from a First Lady wearing that designer's creation. Also, according to fact-checking sites like Snopes.com and Factcheck.org, Mrs. Obama does not have "the largest personal staff in history" nor does she spend more on staff salaries than her predecessor Laura Bush did. The role of the First Lady has continued to expand, and most of Mrs. Obama's expenses are related to her work as First Lady.

Answer 2

This is a difficult question to answer, and not because we like (or dislike) the First Lady. Since the early 1900s, there have been recurring newspaper and magazine articles that accuse the First Lady of being extravagant, spending too much, acting like a Queen, etc. It does not seem to matter whether it is a Republican or a Democrat-- the accusations continue to be made. Nancy Reagan was accused of being a big spender, for example, and so was Hillary Clinton. We now see these assertions made about Michelle Obama, with tabloids claiming (without any proof) that she "spends millions on ritzy vacations."

The problem is that most of the time, we don't have copies of all the First Lady's expense accounts; we read partisan (often exaggerated) stories in the media of expensive trips, but we don't know what the budget was for those trips, nor whether any of the costs were considered outside the scope of her duties and were thus reimbursed to the Treasury. Further, some expenses are necessary and unavoidable-- secret service protection, for example.

Here is what we do know: since 1978, all First Ladies have been given an annual budget for carrying out their duties. The First Lady has her own office and her own staff (note: internet rumors that Michelle Obama has more staff than any other First Lady are false). Like others before her, Mrs. Obama has an official hairdresser, and she currently has a $40,000 wardrobe budget. Additionally, many of the designer fashions she wears (and this was true with her predecessors) are donated by the designer, since having a First Lady wear a new design is great for business.

That said, you may find some useful information about Mrs. Obama's annual spending from a 2011 article about what it costs for her to run her office, how many aides she has (and what they are paid), and what their duties include. I enclose the link.

Answer 3

three times as much as any other first ladies

Answer 4

Five

Answer 5

28 Million