Donald Trump's Golfing Habits Are Reportedly Costing People Millions

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When Donald Trump authorized the formation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he conveniently forgot to give them the authority to cut his own wasteful spending. So much for practicing what you preach. While many Americans lost their jobs because of DOGE's relentless cuts, Trump reportedly managed to spend an eye-watering $18.2 million in taxpayer dollars visiting his Florida golf course within the first seven weeks of his second term. Only one weekend passed during this time where the president wasn't spending time on the green. For reference, he spent $151.5 million on his golfing hobby during his first term, a number Trump is well on his way to surpassing during his second, according to analysis conducted by HuffPost.

To put things into perspective, a trip to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort cost about $3,383,250 during his first term. This is because getting the president there safely — and keeping him that way for the duration of his stay — requires an entire entourage, including the presence of law enforcement, sniffer dogs, police boats, and of course, his Secret Service detail. Unsurprisingly, the divisive politician managed to spend millions in taxpayer dollars during his initial term in office while also giving his own businesses a significant boost.

Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee discovered that the president practically wrote the Trump Organization a big fat check by having his Secret Service detail pay inflated rates whenever they stayed at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. "[Trump] charged as much as 300% or more above the authorized government per diem," according to their report, The Guardian. The price per room per night for Secret Service members went as high as $1,815. In fact, the committee labeled Trump's first term as "the world's greatest get-rich-quick scheme."

Donald Trump has a questionable reputation on the golf course, and for good reason. He's been accused of cheating on multiple occasions, and not even head-turning pictures of Trump golfing without his signature makeup have been able to distract from rumors about the divisive politician's bad sportsmanship. In fact, sportswriter Rick Reilly even claimed in "Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump," that the president is terrible at hiding his cheating tactics. He divulged, "Trump doesn't just cheat at golf. He throws it, boots it, and moves it. He lies about his lies. He fudges and foozles and fluffs."

Maybe the former "Apprentice" host ought to be given the benefit of the doubt. Some people are just sore losers, but it's safe to say that the only sore loser in a golf game with Donald Trump is Donald Trump. "I've always said golf is like bicycle shorts. It reveals a lot about a guy," Reilly quipped during a 2024 MSNBC interview. "And what it reveals about this guy is that he cannot lose. He has to win and he will do anything to cheat." 

It should therefore come as no surprise that people were skeptical about Trump's 2025 golf championship win. We don't just have to take Reilly's word for it, either. Actor Samuel L. Jackson confirmed in March 2025 that he'd played golf with the divisive politician before, and that it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. The prolific actor was asked who the better player was and responded, "Oh, I am, for sure. I don't cheat," (via the Daily Mail). Fellow A-lister Anthony Anderson echoed Jackson's sentiments, but said the honor for cheating doesn't go to the president — his caddie is the one who does all the hard work.