Labor bosses at the two largest teachers unions in the country spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on trips to golf resorts, casinos, and luxury hotels as they criticized the Trump administration for placing financial strain on teachers, financial disclosures from 2025 show.
From Las Vegas to Miami, leaders at the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association enjoyed high-flying accommodations under ambiguous descriptions such as “professional development” and “staff education” last year. In some cases, such as the AFT’s jaunt to Las Vegas’s famous Mandalay Bay resort and casino, the unions didn’t even bother disclosing how they spent their worker-derived funds, simply documenting their spending as “non-itemized transactions.”
While those at the top of the NEA and AFT enjoyed locales such as Palm Springs and Honolulu using funds contributed by working teachers, leadership of those same unions put out statements complaining about how those same educators are under financial strain thanks to policies pursued by the Trump administration.
AFT President Randi Weingarten, for instance, called President Donald Trump’s efforts to rein in Public Service Loan Forgiveness an “assault on borrowers’ livelihoods” that threatens to saddle teachers and other eligible workers with “an insurmountable debt load.”
The NEA, meanwhile, has criticized the Trump administration for cutting back on grants that provide financial incentives for teachers in high-demand areas, with NEA President Becky Pringle accusing the federal government of “com[ing] for our kids, our professions, and our communities.”
The unions joined forces in May 2025 to run a $2 million ad campaign aimed at “highlight[ing] the devastating effects of federal budget cuts on working families.” Ads featured anecdotes from union members detailing their financial troubles.
While the unions accused Trump of privileging the rich over the working class, their leaders traveled to destinations typically enjoyed by the wealthy.
The NEA, for instance, spent just over $6,500 at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort, according to its 2025 financial report. The resort sits right in front of Waikiki Beach itself, has nine on-site restaurants, hosts regular luaus featuring live entertainment and dining, features a full-service spa, and offers access to multiple golf courses.
Golf resorts were another favorite among teachers union leadership.
Teachers represented by the NEA, for instance, saw $45,141 of their dues pay for “policy development” events at the beachfront Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort.
“Our AAA Four Diamond getaway includes the 18-hole River Marsh Golf Course, 150-slip marina, full-service Sago Spa and countless ways to play in the sun,” the resort’s website reads.
AFT’s leadership appears to enjoy golf too, as the union spent $12,598 at the Hilton Hotel Golf Resort in Palm Springs.
“Just 10 minutes from Palm Springs International Airport and five miles from Downtown, our resort offers stunning views of the San Jacinto Mountains. We offer resort amenities, including our outdoor pool, cabanas, bicycles, and volleyball. Enjoy our TopGolf Swing Suite and a round of golf on our championship course,” a description from the hotel’s website reads.
Resorts with on-site casinos were another major draw for teachers union leadership.
Between Las Vegas’s Planet Hollywood, Mandalay Bay, and Flamingo Hotel, alongside the Hollywood Casino in Detroit and the Gila River Resort and Casino in Arizona, the NEA and AFT collectively spent nearly $150,000 at hotels that offer gambling services.
Other examples of luxe lodgings paid for by teachers union dues include the Hyatt Regency on Miami’s waterfront and the Palmer House in Chicago, a grand and historic Beaux-Arts hotel built by 19th-century business magnate Potter Palmer, where the duo of unions collectively spent close to $38,000.
As union leadership enjoyed their travels around the country, the performance of the workers they represent was evidently lacking. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, an assessment conducted by the Department of Education, recently found that just 35% of 12th graders were proficient in reading, the lowest proportion since 1992. Only 22% of high school seniors were found to be proficient in math, the lowest since 2005.
It is unknown how much the NEA and AFT spent on airfare for their leaders to reach their luxury accommodations, and whether they booked first-class tickets, as union disclosures lump all payments to individual airlines within a given year together.
As a result of Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31, a 2018 Supreme Court case, public school employees can no longer be compelled to pay union dues that end up going toward luxury getaways for union bosses. Even though workers aren’t required to donate, those who do likely trust that their dues will be used responsibly.
The AFT and NEA did not respond to requests for comment.
