Donald Trump is under fire after a new video of his golf game sparked controversy over a bold claim. The former president shared a clip on his Truth Social platform showing him sinking a putt, dropping his club, and walking away to applause.
Alongside the footage, the 79-year-old wrote, “36 Club Championships!”—a statement quickly disputed by golf commentator and author Rick Reilly.
Rick Reilly Calls Out the Numbers
Reilly, quoting @patriottakes on X, broke down Trump’s claim:
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Championships previously claimed: 24
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Championships now claimed: 36
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Championships “skipped” in his tally: 11
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Championships actually won: 0
He ended his post with the hashtag #CommanderInCheat—a phrase also used as the title of his 2019 book, Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump.
A Long History of Criticism
Reilly has long accused Trump of bending the rules on the golf course. In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, he described Trump as “the worst cheat ever” who “cannot lose” and “will do anything to cheat.”
“Golf is like bicycle shorts—it reveals a lot about a man,” Reilly added. “And golf reveals a lot of ugliness in this president.”
Why Reilly Came Out of Retirement
According to Reilly, Trump’s exaggerated claims pulled him back into journalism after retirement.
“I was living in Italy, retired, enjoying Campari,” he recalled. “Then I kept seeing on Twitter: ‘I’m a champion. Vote for me because I’ve won 18 club championships.’ I knew it was a lie—he once told me himself how he did it. Whenever he opens a new course, he plays alone and declares himself the champion.”
Golf Trips and Costs
Reilly also pointed out that in his first 48 days back in office, Trump played golf on 13 of them. His trips to Florida to hit the links reportedly cost taxpayers $18 million.
