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Donald Trump’s Golf Priorities: Skip Military Funerals and Bill the Taxpayers
While he fires essential federal employees and rails against wasteful government spending, Donald Trump simultaneously runs up enormous bills for personal leisure trips — and makes money off of that. (Screen grab)
Trump’s Golf Priorities: Skip Military Funerals and Bill the Taxpayers
by Mark M. Bello
Four soldiers died recently in a training exercise in Lithuania. They were members of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. Their remains were returned to Dover Air Force Base Friday for a “dignified transfer” ceremony. The American president attended the funerals, right? Wrong. Donald Trump skipped them to play golf and attend a business dinner in West Palm Beach, Florida, spending millions in taxpayer dollars.
During his first term, Trump often declared unwavering support for the U.S. military, calling himself a champion of veterans and active-duty personnel. His actions, then and now, contradict his words. Friday’s decision is the latest of many incidents where Trump chose to play golf instead of attending military funerals or engaging in other pressing governmental responsibilities. This pattern raises questions about his priorities and highlights the extraordinary cost incurred by taxpayers to pay for his frequent golf outings.
Donald Trump’s passion for golf is no secret. Before his first election in 2016, Trump criticized then President Barack Obama for golfing while in office, tweeting in 2014, “Can you believe that, with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf?” Ever the hypocrite, after 2016, Trump spent more days on the golf course than any president in modern history. Estimates suggest he played golf on at least 293 days during his four-year term, averaging more than once every five days and often skipping military funerals and memorial events.
For instance, in November 2018, during a visit to France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, Trump canceled a planned visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery. The official explanation was poor weather, yet other world leaders attended similar events under the same conditions. Instead of honoring the fallen U.S. Marines who died in World War I, Trump remained at his hotel.
In another instance, Trump did not attend the funeral of Senator John McCain, a decorated Navy veteran and prisoner of war in Vietnam. While political differences between the two were widely known, the president’s absence from the funeral of a national hero was viewed by many as a lack of respect—not just toward McCain, but toward the military community at large. When notable Americans with strong ties to the armed forces pass away, Trump consistently opts out of official funerals and tributes, often choosing instead to play golf or attend political rallies.
While the symbolic cost of this absence is high, the financial burden on taxpayers due to Trump’s golf excursions is even more tangible. Trump often visits his golf resorts in Florida (Mar-a-Lago) and New Jersey (Bedminster). A large entourage that includes Secret Service agents, aides, and White House staff routinely accompanies Trump on these excursions, which also require additional security, transportation, and lodging—all funded by taxpayers.
A 2019 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report estimated that a single Trump trip to Mar-a-Lago cost taxpayers approximately $3.4 million. By the end of his first term as president, watchdog groups estimated that his golf-related travel expenses exceeded $140 million. And most of this spending directly benefits Trump-owned properties, funneling taxpayer money into his businesses. Costs covered by the government included accommodations for Secret Service agents at Trump properties, golf cart rentals, and food and beverage charges.
Trump’s hypocrisy is difficult to ignore. While he fires essential federal employees and rails against wasteful government spending, he simultaneously runs up enormous bills for personal leisure trips. The man who claims to donate his presidential salary routinely prioritizes golf over his presidential duties and responsibilities, especially missed opportunities to honor American service members. These questionable priorities send a troubling message about where his loyalties lay.
Trump’s behavior diminishes the solemnity of military service and sacrifice. And he will never understand that the presidency is more than just a job or a bully pulpit to blast his so-called enemies. The office and the president are symbols of our nation’s values. When our commander-in-chief chooses golf over attending military funerals and other important events, he sends a message to veterans, military families, and the broader public about what matters most to him. His continued indifference to our military creates numerous missed opportunities to show compassion, solidarity, and respect.
Other presidents—Republican and Democrat alike—made a point of attending military funerals or sending high-level representatives. President Obama, for instance, regularly visited wounded troops and Gold Star families. President George W. Bush often met privately with families of the fallen. These symbolic gestures carry immense weight for grieving families and the military community.
Many controversies mark Donald Trump’s presidency, but his indifference to military sacrifice while lavishing time and resources on personal leisure is especially egregious. The American public must not only witness a commander-in-chief who repeatedly chooses personal leisure or enjoyment over public duty but also bears the financial burden of his outings.
Ultimately, leadership is more than speeches, slogans, or chainsaws; it’s about showing up when it counts. In this respect and others, Donald Trump is a miserable failure.
About the Author
Mark M. Bello
Mark M. Bello is an attorney and author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series and children’s social justice/safety picture books. He also hosts the popular bi-weekly podcast, Justice Counts (https://www.spreaker.com/show/justice-counts_1). Mark’s books may be found at all online booksellers and on his website, at https://www.markmbello.com.
Donald Trump’s Golf Priorities: Skip Military Funerals and Bill the Taxpayers
Trump’s Golf Priorities: Skip Military Funerals and Bill the Taxpayers
by Mark M. Bello
Four soldiers died recently in a training exercise in Lithuania. They were members of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. Their remains were returned to Dover Air Force Base Friday for a “dignified transfer” ceremony. The American president attended the funerals, right? Wrong. Donald Trump skipped them to play golf and attend a business dinner in West Palm Beach, Florida, spending millions in taxpayer dollars.
During his first term, Trump often declared unwavering support for the U.S. military, calling himself a champion of veterans and active-duty personnel. His actions, then and now, contradict his words. Friday’s decision is the latest of many incidents where Trump chose to play golf instead of attending military funerals or engaging in other pressing governmental responsibilities. This pattern raises questions about his priorities and highlights the extraordinary cost incurred by taxpayers to pay for his frequent golf outings.
Donald Trump’s passion for golf is no secret. Before his first election in 2016, Trump criticized then President Barack Obama for golfing while in office, tweeting in 2014, “Can you believe that, with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf?” Ever the hypocrite, after 2016, Trump spent more days on the golf course than any president in modern history. Estimates suggest he played golf on at least 293 days during his four-year term, averaging more than once every five days and often skipping military funerals and memorial events.
For instance, in November 2018, during a visit to France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, Trump canceled a planned visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery. The official explanation was poor weather, yet other world leaders attended similar events under the same conditions. Instead of honoring the fallen U.S. Marines who died in World War I, Trump remained at his hotel.
In another instance, Trump did not attend the funeral of Senator John McCain, a decorated Navy veteran and prisoner of war in Vietnam. While political differences between the two were widely known, the president’s absence from the funeral of a national hero was viewed by many as a lack of respect—not just toward McCain, but toward the military community at large. When notable Americans with strong ties to the armed forces pass away, Trump consistently opts out of official funerals and tributes, often choosing instead to play golf or attend political rallies.
While the symbolic cost of this absence is high, the financial burden on taxpayers due to Trump’s golf excursions is even more tangible. Trump often visits his golf resorts in Florida (Mar-a-Lago) and New Jersey (Bedminster). A large entourage that includes Secret Service agents, aides, and White House staff routinely accompanies Trump on these excursions, which also require additional security, transportation, and lodging—all funded by taxpayers.
A 2019 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report estimated that a single Trump trip to Mar-a-Lago cost taxpayers approximately $3.4 million. By the end of his first term as president, watchdog groups estimated that his golf-related travel expenses exceeded $140 million. And most of this spending directly benefits Trump-owned properties, funneling taxpayer money into his businesses. Costs covered by the government included accommodations for Secret Service agents at Trump properties, golf cart rentals, and food and beverage charges.
Trump’s hypocrisy is difficult to ignore. While he fires essential federal employees and rails against wasteful government spending, he simultaneously runs up enormous bills for personal leisure trips. The man who claims to donate his presidential salary routinely prioritizes golf over his presidential duties and responsibilities, especially missed opportunities to honor American service members. These questionable priorities send a troubling message about where his loyalties lay.
Trump’s behavior diminishes the solemnity of military service and sacrifice. And he will never understand that the presidency is more than just a job or a bully pulpit to blast his so-called enemies. The office and the president are symbols of our nation’s values. When our commander-in-chief chooses golf over attending military funerals and other important events, he sends a message to veterans, military families, and the broader public about what matters most to him. His continued indifference to our military creates numerous missed opportunities to show compassion, solidarity, and respect.
Other presidents—Republican and Democrat alike—made a point of attending military funerals or sending high-level representatives. President Obama, for instance, regularly visited wounded troops and Gold Star families. President George W. Bush often met privately with families of the fallen. These symbolic gestures carry immense weight for grieving families and the military community.
Many controversies mark Donald Trump’s presidency, but his indifference to military sacrifice while lavishing time and resources on personal leisure is especially egregious. The American public must not only witness a commander-in-chief who repeatedly chooses personal leisure or enjoyment over public duty but also bears the financial burden of his outings.
Ultimately, leadership is more than speeches, slogans, or chainsaws; it’s about showing up when it counts. In this respect and others, Donald Trump is a miserable failure.
About the Author
Mark M. Bello is an attorney and author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series and children’s social justice/safety picture books. He also hosts the popular bi-weekly podcast, Justice Counts (https://www.spreaker.com/show/justice-counts_1). Mark’s books may be found at all online booksellers and on his website, at https://www.markmbello.com.