Since reassuming office on January 20, President Donald Trump has spent nearly every weekend at one of his golf resorts, particularly his West Palm Beach course near Mar-a-Lago.
A HuffPost analysis of a 2019 Government Accountability Office report estimates that Trump’s second-term golf outings have cost $26,127,531 to date. These expenses cover the transportation of his motorcade equipment and security personnel, along with the substantial cost of operating Air Force One. This $26 million total is based on 2017 costs, which have likely increased over time.
During his first presidential term, Trump spent 293 days at his properties, costing taxpayer $151.5 million. Each trip to Mar-a-Lago during Trump’s first term cost taxpayers an estimated $3.4 million.
In comparison to other presidents, Trump averages one golf outing approximately every 5.9 days and Obama averaged one round every 8.8 days. Bush played far less golf than either Trump or Obama, stopping entirely after 2003 due to criticism that it was inappropriate during wartime. Eisenhower holds the record for presidential golfing, with over 800 rounds during his two terms. He even installed a putting green on the White House lawn and used golf as a diplomatic tool.
While the Trump Administration has occasionally defended his golfing as a means of conducting informal business or building relationships, there is limited evidence suggesting that significant policy decisions are made during these outings.