By Charles Switzer
6:09pm PDT, Mar 11, 2025
Trump's Frequent Golf Outings Spark Cost Concerns
Less than two months into his return to the White House, President
Donald Trump spent 13 of his 48 days in office golfing, primarily at his Florida properties. His frequent trips to Trump International West Palm Beach and Trump Doral have already racked up an estimated cost of $18 million dollars to American taxpayers, according to a
HuffPost analysis.
This spending mirrors the hefty price tag of his first term when his golf trips cost an estimated $151.5 million dollars over four years. The president's insistence on spending weekends in Florida has drawn scrutiny, particularly as he continues to use Air Force One and military transport planes to ferry his entourage and security detail to and from his resorts.
Here's a look at everything the report uncovered.
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Security and Travel Costs Add Up as Trump Stays in Florida
The logistics of Donald Trump's golf outings involve significant security expenses. His trips require the use of C-17 transport planes to carry his motorcade, police boats patrolling the Intracoastal Waterway and Coast Guard vessels stationed offshore.
Local law enforcement, including officers with explosive-sniffing dogs, are deployed each time he visits a course, the report showed. These measures have intensified following two
assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign — one at a rally in Pennsylvania and another at his West Palm Beach golf club, where a potential shooter was found lurking nearby.
The cost of these enhanced security precautions continues to mount with each weekend Trump spends in Florida.
Trump's Denial of Golfing Plans Contradicted by His Own Actions
Despite his frequent golf outings, President Donald Trump initially denied he would spend time on the course after returning to the presidency. During a press gaggle aboard Air Force One in January, he claimed he was "too busy" to play upon arriving in Florida.
However, within hours, a Fox News reporter posted a photo of him golfing at Trump Doral. This pattern of public denial followed by reality contradicting his statements is
reminiscent of his first term when he repeatedly insisted he worked harder than previous presidents despite spending significant time on the golf course.
Turnberry Golf Resort Vandalized Amid Global Backlash
While Donald Trump was on the golf course in Florida, his Turnberry
resort in Scotland was vandalized by pro-Palestinian activists. The demonstrators condemned what they called his "genocidal rhetoric" regarding Gaza, following recent inflammatory remarks about the region's future.
Trump has long touted Turnberry as one of his most prized golf properties, and the attack highlights the international tensions surrounding his presidency. Although he did not comment on the vandalism directly, the incident highlights how his policies and rhetoric continue to provoke global controversy.
High-Speed Motorcade Rides and Weekend Retreats Continue
Donald Trump's golf outings have become a routine part of his presidency, with reporters tracking his
movements from Mar-a-Lago to his nearby course. On Saturday, March 9, after completing his latest round at Trump International West Palm Beach, the president departed the club at 1:23 p.m. and arrived back at Mar-a-Lago just six minutes later at "very high speed," according to the White House press pool.
With six out of seven weekends spent in Florida so far, the pattern suggests Trump will continue prioritizing his retreats at his properties, raising further questions about presidential travel costs and the use of taxpayer money.
For several decades, most presidents spent their weekends at the government-provided Camp David, with Trump being the main exception.
