President Joe Biden is spending his historic New Year’s tropical vacation at the property of a billionaire business owner who attended his first presidential state dinner just weeks prior.
Biden flew to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Tuesday with his family in the first trip by a sitting U.S. president to the region since President Harry Truman. The Biden family is staying free of charge at the house of Bill and Connie Neville, according to the New York Post. The billionaire couple who were among the 338 people in attendance at Biden’s first presidential state dinner this month with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Nevilles have supported the Bidens for years. Biden regularly vacationed in St. Croix prior to his presidency, and a White House official confirmed to the Post that the Bidens have previously stayed at the Neville residence there. The Nevilles donated more than $10,000 to Biden’s 2020 campaign and PAC, according to Federal Election Commission records, and are regular contributors of several prominent Democrats.
The Nevilles’ house in St. Croix has an in-ground pool and direct beach access, according to the Post.
Bill Neville made his fortune as the founder of US Viking, a software company that makes a news content platform marketed by the Associated Press. He and his wife attended the 2015 state dinner under President Barack Obama with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The trip to St. Croix marks Biden’s third vacation of the year. Each time, he stayed at a friend’s house. The president and his family stayed at the Nantucket home of billionaire David Rubenstein, co-founder of the private equity Carlyle Group, in November. Biden in August stayed for free at the Kiawah Island, South Carolina, mansion of mega-donor Maria Allwin, the widow of hedge fund founder James Allwin, for his summer vacation with family. The president reportedly asked Allwin if he could stay there, according to the Post.