“I’m a really big fan of you people,” Donald Trump told the drivers moments before the green flag waved at the 2025 Daytona 500, turning NASCAR’s biggest race into a presidential spectacle once again. Making his second appearance at The Great American Race as president, Trump arrived at Daytona International Speedway on February 16 and immediately placed himself at the center of the show. But it came at a high cost.

From addressing drivers to leading the field in pace laps inside the presidential limousine, the moment was pure theater. But though the optics were unforgettable, the financial implications weren’t. And it reportedly left U.S. taxpayers with a hefty bill tied to security, logistics, and federal operations.

The price tag for a Presidential Daytona 500 weekend

$561,842.63. That’s the figure now attached to Donald Trump’s headline-grabbing appearance at the 2025 Daytona 500, according to newly released documents obtained by Front Office Sports through a public records request. These were the expenses spent by the Secret Service specifically for Trump’s trip to NASCAR’s marquee event.

And it wasn’t just costly, it was the most expensive Secret Service deployment among all the sporting events Trump attended that year. In fact, more than half of that bill came from hotel-related costs.

In protecting Trump, along with his son Eric, daughter-in-law Lara, and two grandchildren, the Secret Service spent $335,448.26 across 11 different hotels. Individual payments ranged from roughly $8,300 to more than $75,000, including charges at an official Walt Disney World hotel used to accommodate personnel.

Beyond lodging, event infrastructure accounted for another significant portion of the expenses. The Secret Service paid $213,738.20 to an event company for operational necessities such as tents, fans, heaters, and other temporary equipment required to secure and support the presidential visit. An additional $8,832.00 was listed as a “purchase adjustment,” also categorized under lodging or temporary duty expenses.

Smaller line items rounded out the total but still highlighted the logistical scale of the operation. Daytona International Speedway received $3,544.18 for bike racks used as part of the security perimeter. Even routine maintenance made the ledger, with $279.99 paid to Bubbles Car Wash under “All Fleet Management,” reflecting the upkeep of Trump’s motorcade, which famously completed a ceremonial lap around the track before the race.

This shows how NASCAR’s biggest race comes with a high cost. It came with a real taxpayer burden, too, and it raised questions about blending politics with sports.

The Secret Service released the Daytona 500 expense report alongside records from two other early-2025 trips: the NCAA Division I men’s wrestling championships in Philadelphia and UFC 314 in Miami. None, however, came close to the price tag attached to NASCAR’s biggest stage.

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Trump’s other sports trips compared to NASCAR

The Daytona 500 may have carried the biggest single price tag, but it was far from the only sporting event that generated Secret Service expenses during Donald Trump’s early-2025 schedule (big or small). Documents released alongside the Daytona report provide a clearer comparison point for two other high-profile appearances and underscore how quickly costs can add up.

For the NCAA Division I Men’s Wrestling Championship in South Philadelphia on March 22, the Secret Service expensed $65,252.31 to protect Trump and his chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Unlike Daytona, the operation was relatively contained. Agents booked just one hotel, the Philadelphia Airport Marriott, totaling $35,585.56. The remaining expenses were tied largely to infrastructure, including tents equipped with lights and generators to support security operations around the arena.

Trump’s appearance at UFC 314 in South Florida came in even lower, with total expenses of $45,310. Of that amount, $31,117 went toward accommodations across four hotels. Smaller line items included $675 for a scissor lift and $350 for “golf cars,” with the rest again allocated to tents and generators needed for crowd control and protective coverage.

Taken together, the three events accounted for nearly $675,000 in disclosed Secret Service spending. Roughly 60% of that total went toward hotel costs, reflecting the reality that agents typically arrive days in advance. The remainder was primarily spent on temporary equipment essential to securing large public venues.

Still, these figures don’t tell the full story. Operating Air Force One alone can cost roughly $178,000 per hour, dwarfing the expenses listed in these reports. Meals, additional travel, and agent pay are also not included. And Trump is hardly unique. U.S. presidents across administrations have routinely generated similar costs tied to personal travel.

Since then, Trump has attended UFC 316, the Club World Cup final, the U.S. Open, a Yankees game on 9/11, the Ryder Cup, a Washington Commanders game, the Army–Navy game, and the College Football Playoff National Championship. Front Office Sports has requested expense reports for each, meaning the final tally may still be climbing.