Paul Dallison writes Declassified, a weekly satirical column.
Donald Trump arrives in Scotland on Friday as a part of a brief go to to the UK. The locals are thrilled!
For Trump, a deliberate assembly with Prime Minister Keir Starmer will probably be means down the checklist of priorities for the journey, as he’s additionally visiting his golf resorts at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie in Aberdeenshire (on the west and east coasts, respectively).
However Trump’s passion can’t be separated from his day job. Listed below are 18 occasions (for the uninitiated, there are 18 holes on a golf course) that Trump noticed golf and politics collide.
Gap 1: An Open and shut case
Turnberry is not going to host the celebrated Open Championship anytime quickly, the sport’s R&A governing physique stated in March. R&A boss Mark Darbon advised Sky Information that Turnberry was a “difficult” venue and there have been no plans to schedule a championship there. Darbon additionally implied Trump’s place as U.S. president could overshadow any event: “We must be assured that the main focus will probably be on the game and we have to be sure that the venue works for our necessities.” Final week, Darbon stated he’d been having talks with Trump’s son Eric about the way forward for main occasions at Turnberry.
Gap 2: Welcome to Scotland
Having a Trump-owned golf course in your doorstep is both a) an effective way to carry money and jobs right into a distant space, or b) an absolute shame, relying in your view of golf (“a very good stroll spoiled,” in response to the quote attributed to everybody from Mark Twain to Oscar Wilde) and Trump (“a c**t,” in response to an indication brandished by the late comic Janey Godley when Trump was in Scotland in 2016). Trump’s final go to as president, in 2018, prompted protests in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. This yr, a number of arrests have been made in reference to vandalism at Turnberry. Trump wrote in March that Starmer had knowledgeable him “they caught the terrorists who attacked the attractive Turnberry,” and that he hoped they might “be handled harshly.”
Gap 3: Don’t point out Jeffrey Epstein
Talking of indignant locals … a video posted on social media this week by a gaggle known as Everybody Hates Elon confirmed an indication positioned on the entrance to Trump’s Aberdeen course studying “Twinned with Epstein Island.” Pre-visit, Trump kicked a Wall Avenue Journal reporter out of the press pool for the journey after the newspaper printed an article alleging the president had despatched Epstein, who was later convicted for intercourse offences, a fiftieth birthday letter that included a drawing of a unadorned girl. POLITICO has not verified the existence of such a letter. Trump known as the WSJ report “false and defamatory” and has sued for at the very least $10 billion.
Gap 4: False valuations and a feisty fisherman
A fraud lawsuit filed in 2022 towards Trump and three of his kids accused them of knowingly inflating the valuations of their Scottish resorts. The Trump Group was accused of mendacity in regards to the worth of actual property to safe loans and pay much less tax. Trump dismissed the lawsuit as “one other witch hunt.” Trump’s want to construct and develop golf programs acquired him right into a struggle (nearly actually) with a Scottish fisherman. Michael Forbes refused to promote his home to make means for improvement, prompting Trump to say that Forbes’ property was “past disrepair” and “a pigsty.” Forbes advised Aberdeen Reside: “After I met him, all he talked about was … cash. I actually remorse to this present day that I didn’t knock him on his arse.”
Gap 5: Cops on target
The Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, stated it was involved about extreme working hours throughout Trump’s newest go to and was contemplating authorized motion towards police chiefs. However you do want safety when Trump is {golfing}: In September 2024, authorities stated a Secret Service agent had noticed a gunman with a rifle sticking by the fence whereas the president was taking part in at his course in West Palm Seaside, Florida. “The issue is … that he golfs rather a lot. He golfs on a regular basis, so it doesn’t take a neurosurgeon to determine that if he’s down at Mar-a-Lago, and it’s good climate, he’s most likely going to a golf course,” Mike Olson, a 21-year veteran of the Secret Service, advised our U.S. colleagues.
Gap 6: An costly pastime
Trump does certainly go {golfing} rather a lot. In accordance with ethics watchdog Residents for Accountability and Ethics in Washington (CREW), within the first six months of this time period Trump made 62 visits to his golf programs. This, in response to CREW, was a rise on the primary six months of his final time period, when he made 42 visits. These visits included occasions and different visits throughout which Trump didn’t essentially play golf. The web site didtrumpgolftoday.com, which makes use of information from Trump’s printed schedule, reckons the president has performed golf 43 days out of the 186 he has been in workplace. A 2019 U.S. Authorities Accountability Workplace report estimated that each golf journey prices taxpayers $1.4 million. Somebody ought to inform DOGE.
Gap 7: Buggies and bogs
All these Secret Service officers conserving the president protected have gotten to get round Trump’s course at Bedminster, New Jersey — they usually’ve additionally acquired to go to the bathroom. In accordance with authorities procurement information seen by the Unbiased, the Secret Service signed a deal that’s price greater than $550,000 with Associates Golf Automobile Service of Poughkeepsie, New York to lease golf carts till June 2026; and a take care of Restroom Assets LLC of Wrightstown, New Jersey, for “transportable restroom leases and companies” price $80,000 that runs (pun meant) till Might 2026. Taxpayers foot these payments.
Gap 8: Please donate generously to assist rioters
Trump’s golf course at Bedminster was set to host the 2022 PGA Championship earlier than authorities modified the choice following the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. In September 2024, a fundraising occasion to assist with authorized charges for Jan. 6 defendants — scheduled for a similar Bedminster membership — was known as off at quick discover. Tickets ranged from $1,500 per individual to $50,000 for a “platinum desk” for 12. Trump was listed as an “invited speaker,” though not a confirmed one.
Gap 9: By no means thoughts the tariffs, right here’s a swanky dinner
Days after Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement shook the whole world commerce order, he was at a dinner for LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed golf tour. “Recession fears are rising. The inventory market is tanking. However don’t fear, Donald Trump is {golfing},” Colorado Democrat Jason Crow stated in a put up on social media. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, added that the president had had “an extended, exhausting week of crashing the inventory market and making nearly all the pieces dearer for middle-class Individuals. However at the very least he’s getting a while to unwind.”
Gap 10: South African president will get caught within the tough
Trump famously enjoys being complimented and receiving items, however not all the time. In March, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa introduced champion golfers Retief Goosen and Ernie Els to the White Home, brandished a e-book about his nation’s programs (bragging that the tome “weighs 14 kilograms”), and stated he’d been practising his swing. Ramaphosa added: “Our hyperlinks are actually long-lasting,” nevertheless it turned out to be a commerce reference, not a golf one. Trump was having none of it and accused South Africa of permitting unlawful discrimination towards white farmers.
Gap 11: When you’re good at golf, you’re doubtless on Trump’s good aspect
Finnish President Alexander Stubb completed second in a triathlon this month (that’s swimming, biking and working). Trump’s concept of a triathlon might be a cheeseburger, fries and a soda. However the two males share a love of golf, and in March they performed a spherical collectively in addition to speaking about Ukraine and icebreaker ships. Each Trump and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham praised Stubb’s golf expertise. In accordance with CREW, Trump has hosted 19 visits from international authorities officers from 10 nations this time period. Political teams and international governments have additionally held 49 occasions at Trump properties.
Gap 12: And for those who’re not good at golf, be taught
Even earlier than Trump formally took workplace for a second time, world leaders have been making ready to satisfy him on the golf course. In November 2024, the workplace of Yoon Suk Yeol stated the South Korean president had been practising golf — for the primary time in eight years — forward of future Trump conferences. “Lots of people near President Trump … [told me] President Yoon and Trump can have good chemistry,” Yoon advised a press convention. Yoon now has extra time on his palms to observe as he’s not president and faces felony costs for riot following his try and impose martial regulation final yr.
Gap 13: An awesome location for a troublesome interview
Throughout his 2023 journey to Scotland, Trump sat down at Turnberry to reply questions from the U.Okay.’s foremost hard-hitting political interviewer — er, Nigel Farage. The scourge of the British political lessons used his half hour with Trump properly, asking such probing questions as: “You turned this golf course round. It’s now the No. 1 course in the entire of Britain and Europe. You’ve acquired this magnificent lodge. You could have missed this place?” Trump replied that he had “very highly effective concepts on golf and the place it ought to go.” (Getting the ball into the opening in as few pictures as potential?)
Gap 14: Covid haves and have-nots
In March 2020, as Covid-19 brought on havoc and demise throughout the globe, Trump introduced in a journey ban concentrating on the 26 European nations that comprise the visa-free Schengen space. Cynics have been fast to level out that the U.Okay. and Eire, each residence to Trump-branded resorts and golf programs that have been struggling as world enterprise tanked, have been exempt from the ban. From the time of the primary reported demise within the U.S. from Covid (on Feb. 6) till Sept. 22 (by which era some 200,000 had died), Trump went {golfing} 25 occasions, in response to Enterprise Insider, quoting Trump Golf Depend, a now-defunct website that tracked the president’s golf outings.
Gap 15: Obama performs an excessive amount of golf. No, scratch that.
Trump mocked Barack Obama greater than two dozen occasions for going {golfing} whereas there have been points that wanted the White Home’s consideration. “Are you able to consider that, with all the issues and difficulties dealing with the U.S., President Obama spent the day taking part in golf?” Trump stated in 2014. In August 2016 he vowed that if he turned president, he wouldn’t have time for sport: “I’m going to be working for you, I’m not going to have time to go play golf.” Erm.
Gap 16: Warning, water hazard
In January, as lethal wildfires raged throughout California, Trump threatened to withhold assist to the state except it distributed extra water to the Los Angeles space. “They’ve a valve — consider a sink, however multiply it by many 1000’s of occasions the scale of it, it’s huge,” Trump advised reporters. “And also you flip it again towards Los Angeles. Why aren’t they doing it?” Native officers coping with water assets stated this was not the reason for the issue, whereas his political opponents suspected an ulterior motive, because the president has a golf course in LA. California Democrat Isaac Bryan stated: “Every thing he has ever achieved when it comes to his civic service has been with a private agenda in thoughts, one that’s worthwhile, one that’s self-interested and one that isn’t rooted within the precise wants of individuals and at occasions, not rooted in actuality or science.”
Gap 17: Commander-in-Chief vs. The Boss
Rock star Bruce Springsteen opened his European tour this yr by saying: “The America I really like, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is presently within the palms of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration.” Trump took it badly, and the 2 males traded barbs. Then, in late Might, Trump put out social media posts through which he hit a golf ball. The video then exhibits a clip of Springsteen tripping at certainly one of his exhibits and falling on the stage. A golf ball had been added to the second clip as if to recommend that Trump was liable for hitting Springsteen and making him fall. Ba-dum-tish.
Gap 18: He’s been accused of not all the time taking part in by the foundations
There have lengthy been claims that whereas Trump performs numerous golf, he doesn’t all the time persist with the letter of the regulation. Rick Reilly, a former Sports activities Illustrated columnist, wrote a e-book known as “Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump.” “Trump doesn’t simply cheat at golf,” Reilly wrote. “He throws it, boots it, and strikes it. He lies about his lies. He fudges and foozles and fluffs. At Winged Foot [in New York state], the place Trump is a member, the caddies acquired so used to seeing him kick his ball again onto the green they got here up with a nickname for him: ‘Pele.’” The actor Samuel L. Jackson advised United Airways’ Rhapsody journal about his love of golf. Requested if he was a greater golfer than Trump, Jackson stated: “Oh, I’m, for certain. I don’t cheat.” Nonetheless, John Nieporte, head skilled at Trump Worldwide Golf Membership in West Palm Seaside, advised The Occasions that Trump is superb. “The proof’s within the pudding,” Nieporte stated, pointing on the president’s file in competitions. “I’ve seen him win membership championships, sinking 60ft putts.” Trump claims to have received three membership championships this yr alone and, in 2024, was given the Trump Worldwide Golf Membership Most Improved Participant Award.