Written by: CHRIS MEGERIAN and JILL COLVIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — For a man who likes to be the center of attention, Donald Trump He had been conspicuously out of sight since his victory in last week’s presidential election.

There were no rallies, no press conferences, no speeches. Instead, Trump spent most of his first week as president-elect behind closed doors at his private club, Mar-a-Lago, in Florida; Here he works the phones, reconnects with foreign leaders and establishes his new administration.

Trump is hardly a recluse. He is surrounded by advisors, friends, and paid members of his club, who advise him when selecting people for high-level government posts. Elon MuskThe richest man in the world, whose companies had billions of dollars in federal contracts, was a constant presence. Some see Musk as the second most influential figure in Trump’s immediate orbit, after campaign chief-turned-private secretary Susie Wiles.

“A very productive day of work by the transition team,” Musk posted on social media company X on Monday evening.

Trump is expected to return to public view on Wednesday. He’s going to the White House to meet the president Joe Biden and is visiting the Capitol to consult with House Speaker Mike Johnson. Overall, Trump is laying the groundwork for his second presidency much faster than his first.

That doesn’t mean the special process lacks the brutal atmosphere that Trump has long fostered in his orbit. A former White House official who is still close to Trump compared the situation at Mar-a-Lago to the drama series Game of Thrones, while another former Trump official described the chaotic pursuit of business. Both discussed the internal dynamics on condition of anonymity.

Eight years ago, when Trump won a shocking victory over Hillary Clinton, he didn’t stay out of sight for long. Visited President Barack Obama Two days after the election, he met with Republican leaders at the White House and then on Capitol Hill.

“We will take a very strong step on immigration,” he said at that time. “We’re going to move very strongly in the healthcare space. And we’re looking at jobs. Major league jobs.”

At the time, Trump Tower in New York had been turned into the backdrop of a new political reality show. The media camped out in the lobby of Trump’s namesake skyscraper to see who was coming and going. Sometimes Trump would take the elevator to deliver an update or show off to a guest.

In one notable moment in December, the rapper then known as Kanye West appeared with Trump, who said the two had “been friends for a long time.” When asked what they discussed, Trump replied: “Life. We discussed life.” Trump later has been subjected to intense criticism Eat in 2022 and dine with a white nationalist who denies the Holocaust.

Eight years ago, Trump also held transition meetings at his Bedminster golf course in New Jersey; Here, the media rallied for days for the candidates in front of the assembled cameras.

Some, like future Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, faced job offers. Others, like Mitt Romney, did not. After the Romney meeting, the two went out together and shook hands next to the American flag. Trump gave a quick thumbs up and said “it went great.”

The current arrangement is very different. There is no public access to Mar-a-Lago, which appears to be under tighter security than it was in the immediate aftermath of two assassination attempts targeting Trump.

The roundabout in front of the property’s entrance is completely barricaded, and Beach County sheriff’s office and Secret Service vehicles have been seen standing guard in recent days, as well as unmarked police cars, black vans and a golf cart.

Instead, Trump announced his picks in statements and posts on the site Truth Social, while his comings and goings were recorded on social media by club members and guests, who, as always, had nearly unlimited access.

In one video, she is seen dancing to “YMCA” on the club’s packed patio. In another, he and his wife, Melania, are greeted cheerfully when they arrive for dinner. They were also seen sitting at a table with Musk.

Trump is known to have left Mar-a-Lago only once since the election, to visit one of his properties. He returned to the nearby golf course on Sunday. same course A sharp-eyed Secret Service agent thwarted a possible shooting by spotting the barrel of a gun pointed through the property’s fence to play with his teenage grandson, Kai.

“Sundays with my grandfather,” he shared on Instagram. Other photos from that day show Trump on a golf cart, wearing a white golf shirt, and later sitting in a burgundy leather chair next to Kai at the club’s restaurant as someone leans in for a chat.