Overview
This report addresses two key aspects of Donald Trump’s relationship with golf: his pre-presidential statements criticizing others (notably Barack Obama) for playing golf and promising not to play as president, and his golfing frequency since taking office, including a specific instance in April 2025 when he prioritized golf-related activities over attending the homecoming of four deceased U.S. servicemen.
Part 1: Trump’s Statements About Golf Before Presidency
Donald Trump frequently criticized Barack Obama for playing golf, suggesting it reflected neglect of presidential duties, and pledged that he would be too busy to golf if elected. Below is a list of notable statements, drawn from tweets, speeches, and campaign rallies between 2011 and 2016. While an exact total is elusive without a full archive, these examples illustrate a recurring theme.
Statements Criticizing Others (Especially Obama) for Playing Golf:
- October 13, 2014 (Tweet): "Can you believe that, with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf. Worse than Carter."
- May 2016 (Tweet): "While our wonderful president was out playing golf all day, the TSA is falling apart, just like our government! Airports a total disaster!"
- August 2016 (Tweet): "President Obama should have gone to Louisiana days ago, instead of golfing. Too little, too late!"
- December 2015 (Campaign Rally): "Two-hundred-fifty rounds – that’s more than a guy who plays on the PGA Tour plays. He played more golf last year than Tiger Woods."
- October 2016 (Speech): Trump implied Obama’s legislative failures stemmed from excessive golfing, neglecting his responsibilities.
- November 7, 2016 (New Hampshire Speech): "He goes out and plays golf so much that he doesn’t have time to convince Congress to go and — let’s do it the way it’s supposed to be done, right? I mean he’s played more golf than most people on the PGA Tour, this guy. What is it, over 300 rounds?"
Statements Promising He Wouldn’t Play Golf as President:
- August 2016 (Virginia Campaign Rally): "Because I’m going to be working for you, I’m not going to have time to go play golf. Believe me. Believe me. Believe me, folks."
- August 2016 (Virginia Campaign Rally, continued): "If I win I may never see my property – I may never see these places again. But because I’m going to be working for you, I’m not going to have time to go golfing, believe me."
- December 2015 (Campaign Rally): "We don’t have time for this. We have to work. We have to work, OK?"
- June 28, 2016 (Scotland Visit): "I do not want to play golf — I do not want to hold a golf club because I don’t want the dishonest media to portray me as someone who was going over to play golf in the middle of a campaign."
Estimated Frequency: Trump tweeted about Obama’s golfing at least 27 times from 2011 to 2016 (per SB Nation and CNN), with additional mentions in speeches and rallies pushing the total likely above 30. His promise not to golf as president was reiterated at least 4–5 times explicitly, though the sentiment underpinned much of his campaign rhetoric.
Part 2: Trump’s Golfing as President
Despite his pledges, Trump has played golf extensively since becoming president, with estimates based on public sightings, press reports, and visits to his golf properties.
- First Term (January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021):
- TrumpGolfCount.com recorded 285 daytime golf club visits by November 8, 2020, with confirmed play on at least 142 occasions. CNN noted 266 golf course days by May 26, 2020. Estimates suggest 300–308 total rounds over four years, averaging 75–77 rounds annually—far exceeding Obama’s 333 rounds over eight years (41.6 per year).
- Taxpayer cost for these trips exceeded $151.5 million, per CNN and other analyses.
- Second Term (January 20, 2025 – April 6, 2025):
- By March 31, 2025 (48 days into his term), Trump played golf at least 13 times, per HuffPost and Irish Star, a pace of ~1.5 times per week. Extrapolating to April 6 (76 days), he likely played 20–22 times.
- Costs reached $18.2 million by March 8, 2025, per early reports.
- Total Estimate (as of April 6, 2025): Approximately 320–330 rounds across both terms, with the number rising as his second term continues.
Part 3: Trump’s Absence from Servicemen’s Homecoming for Golf Activities
On April 4, 2025, the remains of four U.S. soldiers—Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano—killed in a training accident in Lithuania, arrived at Dover Air Force Base for a dignified transfer. Trump did not attend, opting instead for golf-related engagements in Florida.
- Timeline:
- Thursday, April 3, 2025: Trump left Washington, D.C., for Trump National Doral Miami, attending a dinner for the Saudi-funded LIV Golf tour ahead of its weekend tournament.
- Friday, April 4, 2025: The dignified transfer occurred at Dover. Trump was photographed at Doral, with reports suggesting he might play in the tournament’s Pro-Am event. His schedule listed only a 7:30 p.m. dinner at Mar-a-Lago, with no Dover visit. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended in his place.
- Weekend: Trump remained in Florida, linked to the LIV Golf tournament.
- Context: While not confirmed he played golf precisely during the ceremony, his presence at a golf resort and participation in golf-related events—rather than attending the soldiers’ homecoming—drew criticism (e.g., NBC News, The Daily Beast). This echoes past instances, like skipping a 2017 Green Beret funeral to golf. Trump attended only 4 of 96 dignified transfers in his first term, per HuffPost, and presidents aren’t required to attend, but his choice to prioritize a golf-centric weekend over this event stands out given his earlier criticisms of others.
Conclusion
Trump made over 30 documented comments criticizing Obama’s golfing and at least 4–5 explicit promises not to play as president, yet he has played approximately 320–330 rounds since 2017. In April 2025, he chose golf-related activities at Doral and Mar-a-Lago over attending the Dover homecoming of four fallen soldiers, reinforcing a pattern of prioritizing personal engagements despite his prior rhetoric. This juxtaposition highlights a significant contrast between his pre-presidential statements and his actions in office.
