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Mar 19, 2026
Forbes Values Mar-a-Lago at $560 Million, Far Above $18 Million Figure Cited in 2023 New York Case
Forbes’ 2026 Billionaires list places the valuation of Mar-a-Lago at $560 million, a rise from $370 million a year earlier and a figure cited by former President Trump and his allies as contradicting an $18 million valuation used during a 2023 civil fraud case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The updated estimate comes as Trump and his supporters continue to push back on the earlier trial’s asset valuations and highlights persistent market interest in his Palm Beach estate and other properties.
By Margaret Flavin
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Forbes’ 2026 Billionaires list assigns a valuation of $560 million to Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach oceanfront estate owned by former President Donald Trump. The new figure is a substantial increase from Forbes’ $370 million estimate a year earlier and represents a sharp divergence from the $18 million valuation relied on in parts of the 2023 civil fraud litigation brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The updated Forbes valuation has been cited by Trump and his supporters as evidence that the lower figure used in the New York proceedings understated the market value of the property. During the trial, Trump criticized the Attorney General and the court’s handling of asset valuations. President Trump said during the trial, “But this is the Attorney General of New York State, Leticia James, and she shouldn’t be allowed to be Attorney General. She’s defrauded the public with this trial.” He also disputed the low appraisal of Mar-a-Lago, saying, “She said that Mar-a-Lago, she convinced the judge that Mar-a-Lago was worth in Palm Beach, Florida, the most expensive land in the world, I guess, and the most expensive houses definitely, in the world. At Mar a Lago, the biggest house, the most spectacular place in all of Florida, was worth $18 million, when it’s worth approximately could be close to 100 times that amount.”
Trump further contended the trial record, stating, “And based on that testimony, and based on her convincing the judge of Mar-a-Lago was worth $18 million instead of a billion to a billion five, which would sell very easily, which we’ve already proven. But we’ll have people come up and say that and prove it. The most important people, the brokers that make the sales. But based on that, he ruled against me. He ruled fraud.” He also referenced testimony from banking executives: “So they chose to do this. So I just want to say, the head of Deutsche Bank came in. He said we were great, the loan was great, everything was fine, and it was perfect. And this was their witness, wasn’t even my witness. And we have other bankers coming in.”
The 2023 civil case, brought by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, involved allegations about misstated asset values across a number of properties and business entities. In that litigation, certain valuations accepted by the presiding judge, Justice Arthur Engoron of the New York State court system, played a central role in the court’s findings and remedies. The contrast between those court-used valuations and subsequent market-based estimates like Forbes’ has been a focal point of debate among legal observers, Trump supporters, and critics alike.
Forbes’ profile of Trump’s holdings also highlights appreciation across other assets. The outlet estimated that Trump’s 10 golf courses in six states are now worth about $550 million, up from $340 million the previous year, reflecting increased revenue and continued customer interest. Forbes notes that some of Trump’s properties have seen valuation gains as members, supporters and visitors patronize clubs and resorts connected to the former president.
Mar-a-Lago, which Trump purchased in 1985 for an estimated $10 million, sits on roughly 20 acres of beachfront and inland grounds and includes a private two-acre Beach Club. The estate comprises the original historic mansion—constructed between 1924 and 1927—of approximately 37,000 to 37,400 square feet, plus a 20,000-square-foot ballroom added in 2005. The complex has 126 rooms in total, including 58 bedrooms, and features multiple amenities such as six championship clay tennis courts, a full-size croquet lawn, an oceanfront swimming pool, spa and salon facilities, a fitness center, two grand ballrooms, a chip-and-putt golf course and several dining venues.
The difference between the Forbes valuation and the figure used in the New York litigation underscores the challenges of valuing unique trophy properties that serve both private and commercial functions. Supporters of Trump point to the Forbes estimate as contradicting the $18 million valuation used in court, while critics note that market valuations, appraisal methodologies and legal valuations can differ depending on the purpose of the valuation and the assumptions employed. As legal appeals and other proceedings related to the 2023 case continue to draw scrutiny, valuations of marquee assets such as Mar-a-Lago remain a consequential and contested element of the broader dispute.
The updated Forbes valuation has been cited by Trump and his supporters as evidence that the lower figure used in the New York proceedings understated the market value of the property. During the trial, Trump criticized the Attorney General and the court’s handling of asset valuations. President Trump said during the trial, “But this is the Attorney General of New York State, Leticia James, and she shouldn’t be allowed to be Attorney General. She’s defrauded the public with this trial.” He also disputed the low appraisal of Mar-a-Lago, saying, “She said that Mar-a-Lago, she convinced the judge that Mar-a-Lago was worth in Palm Beach, Florida, the most expensive land in the world, I guess, and the most expensive houses definitely, in the world. At Mar a Lago, the biggest house, the most spectacular place in all of Florida, was worth $18 million, when it’s worth approximately could be close to 100 times that amount.”
Trump further contended the trial record, stating, “And based on that testimony, and based on her convincing the judge of Mar-a-Lago was worth $18 million instead of a billion to a billion five, which would sell very easily, which we’ve already proven. But we’ll have people come up and say that and prove it. The most important people, the brokers that make the sales. But based on that, he ruled against me. He ruled fraud.” He also referenced testimony from banking executives: “So they chose to do this. So I just want to say, the head of Deutsche Bank came in. He said we were great, the loan was great, everything was fine, and it was perfect. And this was their witness, wasn’t even my witness. And we have other bankers coming in.”
The 2023 civil case, brought by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, involved allegations about misstated asset values across a number of properties and business entities. In that litigation, certain valuations accepted by the presiding judge, Justice Arthur Engoron of the New York State court system, played a central role in the court’s findings and remedies. The contrast between those court-used valuations and subsequent market-based estimates like Forbes’ has been a focal point of debate among legal observers, Trump supporters, and critics alike.
Forbes’ profile of Trump’s holdings also highlights appreciation across other assets. The outlet estimated that Trump’s 10 golf courses in six states are now worth about $550 million, up from $340 million the previous year, reflecting increased revenue and continued customer interest. Forbes notes that some of Trump’s properties have seen valuation gains as members, supporters and visitors patronize clubs and resorts connected to the former president.
Mar-a-Lago, which Trump purchased in 1985 for an estimated $10 million, sits on roughly 20 acres of beachfront and inland grounds and includes a private two-acre Beach Club. The estate comprises the original historic mansion—constructed between 1924 and 1927—of approximately 37,000 to 37,400 square feet, plus a 20,000-square-foot ballroom added in 2005. The complex has 126 rooms in total, including 58 bedrooms, and features multiple amenities such as six championship clay tennis courts, a full-size croquet lawn, an oceanfront swimming pool, spa and salon facilities, a fitness center, two grand ballrooms, a chip-and-putt golf course and several dining venues.
The difference between the Forbes valuation and the figure used in the New York litigation underscores the challenges of valuing unique trophy properties that serve both private and commercial functions. Supporters of Trump point to the Forbes estimate as contradicting the $18 million valuation used in court, while critics note that market valuations, appraisal methodologies and legal valuations can differ depending on the purpose of the valuation and the assumptions employed. As legal appeals and other proceedings related to the 2023 case continue to draw scrutiny, valuations of marquee assets such as Mar-a-Lago remain a consequential and contested element of the broader dispute.