The cost of President Donald Trump's golf hobby continues to skyrocket, with American taxpayers now footing a bill of nearly $71 million for his trips to various courses since he returned to office in January 2025. According to a detailed analysis by HuffPost, this spending is on a trajectory that could surpass $300 million over the course of his four-year term.
Breaking Down the Multi-Million Dollar Getaways
The president's recent visit to his golf course near the Palm Beach County jail marks his 16th trip to his Mar-a-Lago country club, located just four miles away. Each of these excursions carries a staggering price tag of $3.4 million in travel and security expenses. Should Trump make just two more trips to Mar-a-Lago in December—he made four in November, including one over Halloween weekend—his golf-related expenses for 2025 will exceed $75 million.
This spending pace dramatically overshadows his first term, where taxpayers shouldered $151.5 million for golf-related travel and security. The current term's projected total of over $300 million represents a significant increase, highlighting a growing financial burden on the public purse.
Longtime Republican consultant Rick Wilson, now a critic of the president, expressed resignation about public reaction. "I really wish I could tell you that it would make anyone in America change their mind about him, but the corruption is so baked in, so endemic, and so ludicrous that it feels like the collective reaction will be a shrug," Wilson stated. "It’s one more example of Trump defining the presidency down. Way, way down."
The High Price of Presidential Travel and Security
Beyond the frequent trips to Mar-a-Lago—which has no golf course but is close to his courses in West Palm Beach and Jupiter—Trump has made nine trips to his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey. Each of these journeys costs approximately $1.1 million. He also took a trip to promote a new course at his resort in Aberdeen, Scotland, a venture that cost taxpayers close to $10 million.
HuffPost's analysis relies on cost estimates from a 2019 Government Accountability Office report. It is important to note that the actual costs are likely higher, as the figures have not been adjusted for inflation. The bulk of the expenses cover salaries for military service members and law enforcement officers.
The security challenges for Mar-a-Lago are particularly complex and costly. The property is situated on a barrier island, flanked by the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. When the president is in residence, small boats armed with machine guns patrol the waterways while Coast Guard ships monitor the offshore area.
Air Force One: The Single Biggest Expense
The most significant cost driver is the use of Air Force One. The modified Boeing 747 that Trump uses to travel from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to Palm Beach International Airport costs $273,063 per hour to operate. This translates to a cost of $1.1 million for each four-hour round trip.
His trips to Bedminster are comparatively less expensive at $1.1 million each because the nearby airport cannot handle a 747. For these trips, Trump uses a smaller, far cheaper modified Boeing 757. This is the same reason former President Joe Biden's frequent trips to Delaware cost taxpayers significantly less, as the Wilmington airport runway is also too short for a 747.
Former President Barack Obama, who also played golf frequently, spent far less on his hobby because he played most of his rounds on the course at Joint Base Andrews. In a stark contrast, Trump has never played golf on that course, though he did take an aerial tour of it aboard Marine One on a Saturday, a survey that cost taxpayers approximately $115,000.
This stands in direct opposition to a promise Trump made during his 2016 campaign. He told rallygoers he would not play golf as president, stating, "I love golf, but if I were in the White House, I don’t think I’d ever see Turnberry again... I just want to stay in the White House and work my ass off." He broke that promise within days of taking office and played golf on his own courses on 293 days during his first term. His recent outing in West Palm Beach was his 29th day at that course since returning to office and his 82nd day on a course he owns.
