Trump’s favorite hobby is costing taxpayers millions - BERITAJA

President Donald Trump’s play wont has go 1 of the costliest statesmanlike pastimes successful U.S. history, pinch taxpayers already spending much than $148 cardinal connected his second-term outings alone. At his existent pace, that fig could apical $300 cardinal earlier he leaves office. The spending has renewed scrutiny complete statesmanlike accountability, conflicts of liking and the monolithic information costs tied to trips to play properties he owns.

What taxpayers are paying

According to DidTrumpGolfToday.com, Trump spent 106 of his first 473 days successful his 2nd word golfing — about 22.4 percent of his presidency — astatine an estimated payer costs of $148.4 million.

HuffPost, utilizing a much blimpish calculation based connected a 2019 Government Accountability Office report, estimated the costs astatine much than $101.2 million. The GAO recovered that each Mar-a-Lago travel costs $3,383,250 successful 2017 dollars, meaning the existent costs coming is apt overmuch higher.

Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics successful Washington (CREW) criticized the spending aft Trump crossed the $100 cardinal mark, saying, “At a clip erstwhile state prices are spiking and Americans crossed the state find themselves successful an ever-worsening affordability crisis, the president has burned done complete $100 cardinal successful payer money successful bid to make promotional appearances astatine his play courses and hobnob pinch millionaires and billionaires.”

What makes each travel truthful costly

Every Florida play travel requires Air Force One travel, subject carrier craft for statesmanlike vehicles and dense information about Mar-a-Lago. Because the spot sits connected the water, authorities besides deploy Coast Guard vessels, equipped constabulary boats, bomb-sniffing dogs and further rule enforcement.

HuffPost estimated Air Force One’ operating costs astatine $15,994 per hr based connected substance and attraction alone. Pentagon records from fiscal twelvemonth 2016, however, showed the craft costs much than $180,000 per formation hour, suggesting existent costs are importantly higher.

The White House now labels galore of Trump’s play outings arsenic “executive time” connected his nationalist schedule. Asked whether that referred to leisure activity, the White House property agency replied: “Executive clip refers to executive time.”

Trump vs Obama connected golf

The spending has drawn other attraction because Trump many times criticized erstwhile President Barack Obama for golfing during his 2016 campaign.

In February 2016, Trump told supporters, “I emotion golf, but if I were successful the White House, I don’t deliberation I’d ever spot Turnberry again. I conscionable want to enactment successful the White House and activity my a** off.”

At different event, he said, “There won’t beryllium clip to spell connected vacations, location won’t beryllium clip to spell golfing each the time.”

Speaking to South Carolina voters, Trump added, “I’m not going to play overmuch golf, because there’s a batch of activity to beryllium done.”

Trump often linked Obama’s play outings to nationalist crises and reportedly tweeted about Obama golfing astatine slightest 26 times.

Since returning to office, Trump has spent about doubly arsenic galore days golfing arsenic Obama had astatine the aforesaid shape of his presidency. Taxpayer spending connected Trump’s play recreation has besides acold exceeded Obama’s.

Obama played an estimated 333 rounds of play during his 8 years successful office, averaging about 41 rounds annually. Trump visited play clubs 88 times successful 2025 unsocial and is connected gait to surpass Obama’s eight-year full wrong a azygous term.

A 2016 Trump clip resurfaced successful May 2026 aft being shared by Republicans Against Trump connected X. In the video, Trump says, “I’m going to beryllium moving for you. I’m not going to person clip to play golf.”

The station pointed retired that Trump had since spent 106 of his 473 days successful agency golfing while costing taxpayers about $150 million.

Republican strategist Rick Wilson told HuffPost, “I really wish I could show you that it would make anyone successful America alteration their mind about him, but the corruption is truthful backed in, truthful endemic and truthful ludicrous that it feels for illustration the corporate guidance will beryllium a shrug. It’s 1 much illustration of Trump defining the presidency down. Way, measurement down.”

Projected last bill

Based connected Trump’s existent pace, estimates propose golf-related spending could transcend $300 cardinal by the extremity of his 2nd term.

Trump spent about $151.5 cardinal connected play during his first term. He is now connected gait to about double that figure.

During his first presidency, Trump did not transverse the $100 cardinal people until much than 2 years into office. In his 2nd term, he reached that milestone successful about 14 months.