Since Donald Trump‘s second term in the Oval Office began in January, he has spent a quarter of those days at a golf course.
Trump, an avid golfer, took some criticism for spending too much time on the links during his first term as president.
That trend has continued so far in the Republican’s current stay in the White House, where 37 days out of less than 150 have been spent playing golf, according to website didtrumpgolftoday.com – which has been keeping track of his golfing schedule since he was reelected in November.
Each golf trip is said to cost the American taxpayer $1.4million, with the expensive habit already putting United States citizens on the hook for $51.8m this year. That’s one heck of a bill every four days.
The figure is based on the average price per round calculated from the cost per trip identified within the US Government Accountability Office’s 2019 report, which detailed the cost of four golf trips taken by Trump in his first presidency.
Though despite consistently playing throughout his second term, with Sunday’s round marking exactly 25 percent, the 79-year-old has still managed to juggle his hectic golf schedule with presidential duties over the past seven months.
He has jetted from country to country since being reelected in November; most recently spending time in Saudi Arabia and Qatar to negotiate business deals and investments for the US, while also traveling to Italy for the funeral of Pope Francis back in April.
Since Donald Trump’s term in the Oval Office began, he’s spent a quarter of those days golfing
Trump has been criticized for spending too much time on the course during both of his terms
This weekend Trump has also been in Canada for the 51st G7 summit, before he heads to the Netherlands later this month to attend the NATO summit from June 24 to June 26.
The longest the president has stayed away from golf course during his second term is 11 days – from April 21 through May 1.
That streak is in jeopardy of being broken, however, as Trump has only played golf twice in the month of June, meaning he will set a new record if he stays away until this coming Friday.
Trump’s streak is only likely to be broken, due to the president staying away from the links this weekend to attend his military parade.
He did not waste much time after moving back to Washington DC to hit the course, doing so on the sixth and seventh full days of his second term.
His busiest month of golf was in March, where he only missed one weekend day on the links and took nine total trips to a golf course.
Trump has used the golf course as the backdrop to hold important talks about policy, especially when it comes to sports.
The Commander in Chief golfed with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan to talk about a merger with LIV Golf and make any synergy between the companies peaceful.
Each golf trip costs American taxpayers $1.4million, totaling nearly $52million this year
Trump has played golf on 25 percent of his days in the White House during his second term
He also hosted Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua for a round of golf to discuss a recent judgment on money being spent on college athletes.
The enormous cost of Trump’s sporting habits is sure to enrage his critics, especially as protests over his immigration policies are ongoing in Los Angeles.
Trump himself has not shied away from the golf course as it has been a major part of his bond with his eldest grandchild, Kai Trump, who is committed to play college golf at Miami.
Kai Trump is also one of the highest-earning female athletes in terms of name, image, and likeness deals, per On3, without even taking a swing for the Hurricanes.
Trump’s favorite current golfer is likely Bryson DeChambeau, who joined him on stage during his victory speech after his November election win against Kamala Harris.
The current stretch without golf for Trump also comes during arguably his most chaotic time during his second term in the White House thus far. Protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns have been rife across Los Angeles over that last week.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who visited him in the White House recently as World Series champions, have not commented on the tumultuous scenes.
‘Honestly, I don’t know enough, to be quite honest with you,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Friday.
The longest Trump has been away from golf since getting back to the White House is 11 days
‘I know that when you’re having to bring people in and deport people, all the unrest, it’s certainly unsettling for everyone. But I haven’t dug enough and can’t speak intelligently on it.’
Dodgers player Kike Hernandez did address the situation on Instagram on Saturday, saying: ‘I may not be Born & Raised, but this city adopted me as one of their own.
‘I am saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love.’
Hernandez, who was born in Puerto Rico, added: ‘This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights. #CityOfImmigrants.’
