According to TMZ [1], Donald Trump’s golf cart rentals in the U.S. have cost taxpayers $300,675 since he took office in January 2017. And that cost will only rise, as Trump has golfed the last three days in a row, and will most likely golf over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Federal documents indicate many of these expenses come from Trump’s time at Mar-a-Lago. Secret Service uses the golf carts to follow Trump on his golfing excursions.
The total expense of Trump’s golf outings, including Secret Service protection, comes out to an estimated $77 million, according to TMZ. The figure only refers to Trump’s domestic golf outings, not when he has played overseas.
Democratic lawmakers last month penned a letter to the acting inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security demanding details on Secret Service expenses during Trump’s trip to his golf course in Scotland in July. The Democrats were responding to a report that indicated Trump’s time on his Turnberry golf course cost taxpayers over $1.2 million.
Some have accused the president of profiting off of his golf trips personally, as he typically visits his own clubs, an accusation that the Trump Organization has pushed back on.
“For United States government patronage, our hotels charge room rates only at cost and we do not profit from these stays,” George A. Sorial, the Trump Organization’s executive vice president, said in a statement to People Magazine.
Just a quick reminder of the times when Trump slammed former President Barack Obama for golfing:
We pay for Obama's travel so he can fundraise millions so Democrats can run on lies. Then we pay for his golf.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2014 [2]
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
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2014 [3]
President Obama has a major meeting on the N.Y.C. Ebola outbreak, with people flying in from all over the country, but decided to play golf!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 24, 2014 [4]
President Obama played golf yesterday???
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2013 [5]
President Obama should have gone to Louisiana days ago, instead of golfing. Too little, too late!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2016 [6]
If Obama resigns from office NOW, thereby doing a great service to the country—I will give him free lifetime golf at any one of my courses!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2014 [7]
Obama has admitted that he spends his mornings watching @ESPN [8]. Then he plays golf, fundraises & grants amnesty to illegals.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 16, 2014 [9]