Washington, November 19: The taxpayers in US borne an expense of nearly $100,000 for Donald Trump Jr's lavish business trip to India, a report in a leading American daily said. The unprecedented cost was incurred on his luxury hotel rooms, airfare, car rental and overtime for Secret Service agents, revealed the documents disclosed by the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department had released 47 pages of data while responding to a Freedom of Information request seeking the details of cost incurred by the exchequer on Trump Jr's personal visit to India in February this year. Easier To Do Business In India Than China: Donald Trump Jr.

The documents, accessed by The Washington Post, revealed that the government had incurred a total expenditure of $97,805 on Trump Jr's visit -- which was intended to boost sale of properties developed by the US President's firm in Mumbai, Delhi. Kolkata and Pune.

The White House and Donald J Trump Jr did not immediately respond to the news report, which their political opponents on the social media alleged the Secret Service expenses for his trip to promote condos in India was misuse of tax payers money.

As per US laws, the President and his immediate family members are entitled to protection by the Secret Service. Same is the case with the former presidents and their family members too.

"Donald Trump Jr went to India to promote condo sales. His trip cost taxpayers almost USD 100,000. That's essentially the government spending money on the president's private business,” Citizens for Ethics, a watch dog, alleged in a tweet.

Because the president has not placed his assets in a blind trust, as other presidents have done, he still effectively controls his real estate empire and benefits from his children's travels, Jordan Libowitz, communications director for the Washington-based watchdog group told the Washington Post.

"The issue is that essentially the president still owns his businesses, and these trips are being done to make the president money. Essentially the government is spending money for the president's private businesses,” Libowitz told the daily.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 19, 2018 02:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).