Trump's Golf Trips Top $100M After Bedminster Victory. How Obama Compares

President Donald Trump has reportedly spent over $100 million on golf-related travel and security since returning to the White House following his 2020 election victory, according to independent tracking efforts. The figure comes after Trump announced a recent golf victory at his Bedminster, New Jersey, course, which he described as his 43rd career club championship. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed a score of 70 and emphasized the minimal time he dedicates to practicing golf, citing his focus on other responsibilities. Independent analysts estimate that the cumulative cost of Trump's golf-related travel and security has risen to approximately $115 million as of August 3. This calculation is based on data from the website Is Trump Golfing Today?, which uses flight records and White House press reports to track the president's movements. The estimate breaks down into several key components: around $80.2 million linked to 59 days at Mar-a-Lago and West Palm Beach, $13.6 million for 34 days at Bedminster, $10 million for a five-day trip to Scotland, and $7 million for 47 days at his Washington-area golf course. Additional costs were incurred during visits to Jupiter, Florida. The calculations rely on a method developed by the site, which uses the same 2019 Government Accountability Office report previously cited in analyses of Trump's golf spending. That report indicated that early first-term trips to Mar-a-Lago cost about $3.4 million each, primarily due to the use of Air Force One, Coast Guard patrols, and C-17 cargo flights to transport his motorcade. The current estimate assumes an average trip duration of 2.5 days, though the actual cost could be up to 40% higher when accounting for arrival, departure, and advance team days. This figure follows earlier reports on Trump's golf expenditures. As of late March, HuffPost calculated that Trump's golf-related travel and security costs had reached $101.2 million, based on his having played 110 rounds of golf in just over 14 months. At that rate, the outlet projected that Trump could incur approximately $300 million in golf-related costs by the end of his second term. Watchdog organizations have also documented the frequency of Trump's visits to his personal properties since he returned to the presidency. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) reported that, as of mid-June, Trump had visited his properties 259 times, with 148 of those visits specifically to golf courses. He had spent time at one of his properties on 191 days, representing 37% of his first 512 days in office. Mar-a-Lago was the most frequently visited property, with 102 separate trips recorded. Comparisons between Trump's golf habits and those of former President Barack Obama have resurfaced in light of these figures. Trump has long criticized Obama for playing golf during his tenure, noting that Obama played 333 rounds of golf during his two terms, approximately 11.4% of his 2,922 days in office. By contrast, Is Trump Golfing Today? estimates that Trump has played golf on 20.05% of his first-term days and 26.4% of his second-term days so far. The disparity in cost is largely attributed to the locations where each president played. Most of Obama's rounds occurred at Joint Base Andrews, near Washington, D.C., enabling him to travel by motorcade. Trump's golf outings, however, have more frequently required travel to private clubs in Florida and New Jersey, necessitating greater logistical and security support. Estimates of Obama's overall presidential travel costs, including international trips, amount to roughly $105 million over eight years, according to Is Trump Golfing Today?. However, this figure does not directly compare to Trump's golf-related expenses, which include specific costs associated with traveling to and securing access to private golf courses. The White House has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the reported costs of Trump's golf-related activities. The issue continues to draw scrutiny from both media and watchdog groups, who are monitoring the financial implications of the president's frequent visits to his personal properties.