Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate abruptly ended a press conference. This was after a journalist repeatedly questioned him about his claimed dinner with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. He responded with profanity before walking away.
Tate has maintained that he dined with Trump and first lady Melania Trump during a visit to the Florida club, per ABC. The claim has come under scrutiny after statements from the White House and Trump Organization disputed his account.
Tate was asked about the dinner and its cost during a press conference. He insisted the matter was private, then became visibly frustrated when the questions continued.
Tate wasn’t backing down on the dinner claim
When asked directly if he had dinner with Trump, Tate replied, “We all know that.” He was then asked how long the dinner lasted, but declined to provide further details. “I’ve already answered yes, and the matter’s private so I’m not going to elaborate much further than that,” Tate said.
The questioning became more pointed when the reporter read him a statement from the Trump Organization disputing his version of events. The organization said Tate’s account was a “complete fabrication” and denied that Trump had dinner with the mayor or attended an event connected to him.
The statement offered a different explanation for the encounter. It said Trump was on the patio at Mar-a-Lago and briefly said hello to Tate’s table, describing that as something he typically does with guests at the club.
Tate did not accept that characterization. “All I’m telling you is what I believe is correct,” he said when confronted with the statement.
The mayor’s account has also received support from a business associate who was present at Mar-a-Lago. That person told local media he witnessed the encounter and backed Tate’s version of the dinner.
In a report by News24, the journalist also wanted to know how much the trip had cost Tate. The mayor repeatedly described the matter as private rather than providing a figure. He then asked the journalist what station he was from. Upon hearing the answer, he abruptly ended the exchange. “F— off, yeah f— off, I’ve had enough of that,” Tate said before walking away from the press conference.
Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel later criticized the mayor’s language and said the behavior was inappropriate. “It’s not appropriate behaviour in any circumstance,” Hammel said. He added that he respected Tate’s view that parts of the trip were private, but said journalists were entitled to ask questions.
Published: Sep 15, 2026 05:00 pm