Federal Government Covers Security Costs for Trump Jr.'s Visit to Zurich

The son of U.S. President Donald Trump was a guest at a private business meeting. The event took place at the Zunfthaus zur Saffran behind closed doors. About 70 guests from the business and political worlds attended. A private dinner followed. The meeting was organized by the networking platform Davos Lodge.

This gathering led to a large police presence and raises questions about the costs. As a spokesperson for the Zurich City Police stated on Friday in response to an inquiry from the Keystone-SDA news agency, the city police billed the entire police operation to the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol). In doing so, he also confirmed a related article in the “Tages-Anzeiger.”

The police spokesperson also pointed out that the Zurich City Police had received the assignment from Fedpol and had “merely” served as the executing authority.

Requesting reimbursement

Fedpol stated upon inquiry that, with regard to cost coverage, the principle applies that private individuals bear the costs of security measures themselves for events to which they invite persons requiring protection.

However, if an event is of exceptional importance and has far-reaching implications for Switzerland’s international and economic interests, the affected cantons may apply to the federal government for reimbursement.

The exact cost of the large security deployment remains confidential. Neither Fedpol nor the city police are providing details. As the city police emphasized: “This information could allow conclusions to be drawn about the operation or the deployment.”