Trump’s Golfing Activities and Their Cost Implications

President Donald Trump claimed his 43rd career club championship with a recent victory at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf course. Trump announced his win via a Truth Social post, stating he scored 70 while asserting he has limited practice time due to other commitments.

Cost and Comparisons of Trump’s Golfing

Independent trackers report that Trump’s golf-related travel and security costs have reached nearly $115 million during his second term. ‘Is Trump Golfing Today?’ tracks the president’s schedule with flight data and records. As of August 3, they estimate costs at $114.97 million.

The cost includes approximately $80.2 million for 59 days at Mar-a-Lago and West Palm Beach, $13.6 million for 34 days at Bedminster, $10 million for a five-day trip to Scotland, and $7 million for 47 days at his golf course near Washington, with smaller amounts for visits to Jupiter, Florida.

Estimates are based on a 2019 Government Accountability Office report. It calculated Mar-a-Lago trips at around $3.4 million each, mainly due to Air Force One travel, Coast Guard patrols, and C-17 cargo flights.

Previous reports, like HuffPost’s, calculated Trump’s golf-related costs at $101.2 million in March when he had golfed 110 days over 14 months. They projected potential spending of $300 million by the end of his second term.

Beyond finances, watchdog groups monitor Trump’s property visits. The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) reported mid-June that Trump had visited his properties 259 times, including 148 to golf courses, spending 191 days at a property he owns in his first 512 days in office. Mar-a-Lago topped the list with 102 visits.

Comparison with Obama

Trump’s golfing habits by frequency and cost have been compared to former President Barack Obama. ‘Is Trump Golfing Today?’ notes that Obama played 333 rounds during his presidency, around 11.4% of his days in office. By comparison, Trump spent 20.05% of his first term and 26.4% of his second term days at his golf courses.

The difference in costs correlates with travel distances. Most of Obama’s golfing happened at Joint Base Andrews, near Washington, D.C., allowing simple travel by motorcade. Trump’s frequent visits to private clubs in Florida and New Jersey incurred higher travel and security expenses.

Estimations of Obama’s travel costs are not directly comparable to Trump’s. Tracker estimates suggest Obama’s total travel costs as president at about $105 million over eight years, including international trips. Judicial Watch calculated Obama’s family personal travel at $105.7 million, while a previous McClatchy report indicated around $85 million.

Trump’s View on Obama’s Golfing

Between 2011 and 2016, Trump tweeted 27 times about Obama playing golf, criticizing him frequently. At a 2015 rally, Trump claimed Obama had completed 250 rounds, promising voters he would not follow suit. “I’m going to be working for you,” Trump declared at a 2016 campaign stop.

Despite initial promises, by 2020, Trump had played more golf than Obama by a similar stage in their presidencies, yet claimed Obama played more. Trump’s criticism often targeted the timing of Obama’s golf outings rather than the number of rounds played.

The peak disapproval occurred after Obama played golf at Martha’s Vineyard shortly after addressing the beheading of journalist James Foley by Islamic State militants. The incident spurred backlash, including sharp criticism from Fox News.