Behind the scenes in Trump’s transformed Mar-a-Lago, which is so exclusive that even with money you can’t get in

The opportunists and the merely curious offer members thousands of dollars to get a seat at the dinner.

And since November 5, Mar-a-Lago has become “the most exclusive place in the world,” according to one regular.

Every evening is like a party, as guests crowd the dining patio, waiting for the man who will become the 47th President of the United States to make his grand entrance.

“It’s the hottest ticket in town,” said one veteran Palm Beach socialite, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of missing out on invitations if he was seen as a gossip.

“It’s full every night.”

It’s all a far cry from Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory.

In the weeks and months after he came to power, dozens of charities canceled their annual fundraising events at Trump’s Florida home as they sought to distance themselves from his polarizing presidency.

Trump spent most of his transition in Manhattan, in Trump Tower, where he assembled his first Cabinet.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s health supremo, takes a selfie with fans

This time, world leaders and hopefuls looking for administration jobs have descended on Trump’s “winter White House,” packing the patio every evening.

Instagram is full of fans taking photos next to the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, or more established Trump world figures like Roger Stone, a longtime Republican provocateur, or the new wave of bro-influencers who have had such an impact on the campaign.

While Trump spends his days building a government, the evenings become a never-ending victory party.

Trump’s social media guru Dan Scavino posted a video on Wednesday of Trump showing off his signature dance moves to the sound of Village People’s “YMCA,” to the delight of screeching supporters.

Last week, Trump and Musk joined opera star Chris Macchio for a rousing rendition of “God Bless America” ​​in a video that went viral.

‘It’s not a different atmosphere. It’s a different planet,” said Palm Beach doyenne Lexye Aversa, who will hold her annual charity bash at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, as she compared this transition to 2016.

“There’s been such an evolution with COVID and people wanting to reemerge after the pandemic shutdown, and then the political climate kind of piggybacked on that, with Mar-a-Lago being the event mecca… thus increasing its visibility to another dimension.’

On Sunday, His Highness Dr. Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe will co-host her gala with Italian tenor Franco Corso, all in aid of the charity ‘A Safe Haven for Newborns’.

Trump and Elon Musk put on a show, teaming up with opera star Chris Macchio for a rousing rendition of “God Bless America” ​​at a Mar-a-Lago party another night

Influencer Melissa Rein-Lively posed with Republican strategist Roger Stone as she launched an outsider effort to win the role of White House press secretary

Matt Gaetz, center, was tapped to be Trump’s attorney general before dropping out

Tucker Carlson, Cheryl Hines, Robert F Kennedy Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr, Tulsi Gabbard share a table at dinner

Aversa said attending an event was the only way non-members could get a glimpse of Mar-a-Lago.

“You can buy tickets for that, but then pick up the phone and sit at a table or eat… no, absolutely not,” she said.

“This is the most exclusive place on earth right now.”

Two sources told DailyMail.com that they had received money for seats at the dinner. Both demurred when asked if they accepted.

The other way in is to be a guest of Trump himself as an administration hopeful or advisor. The past two weeks have featured Steve Bannon, recently released from prison, and feisty podcast host Sebastian Gorka, who has been tipped for a spot on the National Security Council.

Former Trump spokesman Sean Spicer and Kari Lake, who lost her Senate bid in Arizona, both held discussions about possible roles last week, according to sources familiar.

And newly elected Vice President JD Vance was photographed playing with his three children on the estate’s expansive lawns.

Some wannabes are constantly present, hoping to land an unlikely post. Online influencer Melissa Rein-Lively has peppered her Instagram feed with images of Mar-a-Lago, but failed to land the job of White House press secretary.

Musk posted a photo with Trump and Argentine President Javier Milie (center)

Trump, wearing a tuxedo, addressed a political rally at his headquarters in Florida

British politician Nigel Farage posed with Barron Trump on election night

Newly elected Vice President JD Vance plays with his three children by the water

Guests arriving for a party at Mar-a-Lago. The club is the hottest ticket in town

Supporters were a constant presence along the bridge leading to Mar-a-Lago

Entry fees have reportedly been increased to $1 million this year, with rumors that the Trump Organization is considering raising them again after the election victory.

Because membership is limited to 500 by the City of Palm Beach, open spots are scarce.

And for a major company looking for an opportunity to lobby the president-elect as he dines among members on the patio, it’s money well spent, according to Laurence Leamer, who wrote a history of the estate.

He also put the numbers together.

“You want to be there when he’s there, so you probably go once a week, maybe three or four months, for four years, which means your dinner costs like… $18,000 a time,” he said.

“If your company gets a billion-dollar government deal, that’s the best money you’ve ever spent.”

But for many other guys, it’s just a chance to let go of four years of pain since the 2020 election defeat.

“They just kept it to themselves because they felt like they weren’t valued or understood,” he said. “And now they just love it.”