HuffPost recorded the number of times Trump has played at his courses during his second term and based its figures on a report to Congress from his first term, according to the outlet. During that first term, Trump played golf a total of 293 days at his own courses at a cost to taxpayers of $151.5 million, according to multiple reports. The specific methodology HuffPost used to calculate the $101.2 million cost, and whether it has been independently verified, remains unclear, as does how the sum breaks down between travel and security expenses. The Trump administration has not publicly commented on or disputed the reported golfing costs.
Trump is on track to accumulate $300 million in golfing expenses by the end of his second term in 2029, the report claims. His most expensive golf trip to date was to Scotland last summer, costing $9.7 million in taxpayer money, according to multiple reports. That trip included opening a new 18-hole course at his estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, during a 'working holiday' in Britain, according to reports.
Since his second inauguration, Trump has made eight trips to his course in Bedminster, New Jersey, five to his resort in Doral, Florida, and 17 to his Mar-a-Lago country club home, according to the HuffPost report. These visits contribute to the overall tally of at least 110 golf outings at his properties.
Trump's approval rating has fallen to 42 percent, its lowest ever, according to a Daily Mail/JL Partners poll earlier this month. The economic strain triggered by the U.S.'s military operation in the Middle East has contributed to Trump's declining approval rating, multiple reports indicate. This geopolitical context includes Iran's counterattack, which was in retaliation for joint U.S.-Israel strikes, according to reports. Iran's counterattack has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil trading channel, sending global gas prices rising, according to reports. The current status of the Strait of Hormuz closure and its precise impact on global oil markets are still developing.