Tiger Woods' Defense Of Vanessa Trump Against Critics Falls Apart Under The Microscope

When Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump took their relationship public in March 2025, they most likely knew it would kick off a firestorm of backlash. Not only do they both carry their own baggage — Woods and his ex-wife Elin Nordegren split after he cheated on her, and Vanessa divorced ex-husband Donald Trump Jr.  — but there's the potential of political backlash for dating someone with the last name Trump. According to the Daily Mail, some of Woods' inner circle is giving him flak over his relationship with Vanessa, which had the pro golfer giving a heated response.

"F*** what people think," was what Woods had to say about it. While Woods and President Donald Trump have their own relationship, and he's often done his best to keep his political views to himself, something still felt fishy about his response. For starters, Woods and Vanessa waited a whopping five months before going public with their romance. Plus, when Woods took to X, formerly Twitter, to make the romance official, his caption still felt standoffish. "Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side," Woods writes at the beginning of the cutesy PDA post. But then he finishes it with, "At this time, we would appreciate privacy to all those close to our hearts." Certainly a mixed message to send, which makes Woods' assertion that he's aloof to the haters fall apart. Although, there could be another reason Woods and Vanessa waited to tell the world of their relationship.

Whereas Tiger Woods's defense of his relationship to Vanessa Trump might seem flimsy, it could be that he has a good reason. According to Page Six, Donald Trump Jr.'s ex-wife might be the one looking to keep her private life, well, private. Right before the couple made it social media official, an insider spoke to the gossip outlet saying, "[Vanessa's] very private and doesn't like the spotlight." However, their friends and family were in the loop, and it seems the couple taking it slow might have worked out to win over some important family members.

Vanessa and Don Jr. share five children together: Kai, Donald III, Tristan, Spencer, and Chloe. Kai Trump has since grown in popularity among fans of her grandfather's second presidential term, making her a pivotal person to please. And it seems that Kai is happy about Vanessa and Woods dating, perhaps a good indicator that the couple was wise to wait. The same source also divulged to Page Six that Vanessa and Woods are "taking it slow," with the potential for their love to become "really serious and permanent." Now if only Woods could stop hurling expletives at his haters, this would feel truly believable.