Donald Trump’s golf costs draw scrutiny after March estimate tops $100 million

President Donald Trump has frequently visited his golf properties since returning to office in January 2025. A HuffPost analysis published on March 28, 2026, estimated that golf-related travel and security had cost taxpayers at least $101.2 million through that date.

Using the same spending pace, the outlet projected that the total could approach $300 million by the end of Trump’s second term. Those figures are estimates based largely on earlier government travel-cost data, not a comprehensive federal accounting of every second-term trip.

The estimated cost of Trump’s golf-related travel

A HuffPost analysis published on March 28, 2026, estimated that Trump’s golf-related travel and security had cost taxpayers at least $101.2 million since his second inauguration in January 2025. The total includes travel, security, and staff expenses tied directly to his frequent golf trips.

The analysis estimated that a typical trip centered on Mar-a-Lago and Trump’s nearby Palm Beach golf courses cost approximately $3.4 million. That amount was derived from a GAO review that placed the cost of 4 early first-term Mar-a-Lago trips at approximately $13.6 million.

The $3.4 million figure does not apply to every golf outing because costs vary by destination, aircraft, itinerary, and security requirements. HuffPost projected that the second-term total could approach $300 million if the March 2026 spending pace continued.

Frequent visits to Trump-owned golf properties

As of March 28, 2026, Trump had made 56 visits to Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach since returning to office. HuffPost counted 110 days at golf properties he owns, representing slightly more than 25% of his days in office through that date.

The analysis also counted 8 trips to Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, at an estimated $1.1 million each, and 5 trips to Trump National Doral, at an estimated $2.7 million each. This preparation adds a high cost beyond the cost of the golf itself.

These are dated trip counts and cost estimates from March 2026, not current totals as of July 22. Visits to Doral have run around $2.7 million per trip.

Travel and security drive the estimated costs

The published estimates largely concern presidential travel and protection rather than golf fees. A GAO examination of 4 Mar-a-Lago trips found approximately $10.6 million in government aircraft and boat operating costs and approximately $3 million in temporary-duty costs for personnel.

Those personnel expenses included transportation, lodging, meals, and incidental costs. GAO’s total excluded certain classified information and the regular salaries and benefits of government employees who would have been paid even without the travel.

Local law enforcement and emergency agencies also incur expenses when protecting presidential residences. Palm Beach County plans to seek reimbursement through a federal program that provides $300 million through September 2029 for extraordinary local security measures.

How the March estimate compares with Trump’s first term

HuffPost estimated that Trump’s golf-related travel and security cost taxpayers approximately $151.5 million during his first term. The outlet counted 293 days on which he visited his golf properties.

However, the 293-day figure should not be described as 293 days of confirmed golf play. PolitiFact reported evidence that he played on at least 148 of those visits, while other media analyses produced different totals.

By March 28, 2026, HuffPost’s second-term estimate of $101.2 million was approximately two-thirds of its first-term estimate. It’s projected that the second-term total could approach $300 million, depending on the March spending pace continuing.

Fun fact: Trump’s reported USGA handicap index is 2.5, though he has not posted an official score since 2021.

Criticism grows amid continued affordability concerns

The estimated spending has drawn criticism while many households remain concerned about affordability. In June 2026, consumer prices were 3.5% higher than a year earlier, while food-at-home prices were up 2.7%. Gasoline prices were 26.7% higher than a year earlier, although the gasoline index fell 9.7% during June.

Inflation-adjusted average hourly earnings increased just 0.1% from June 2025 to June 2026, indicating that average wages only narrowly outpaced inflation over that period. Federal Reserve research found that more than 9 in 10 adults continued to view price increases as a financial concern.

Critics have cited those pressures when questioning the estimated cost of presidential golf-related travel, while presidential protection remains a required government responsibility regardless of destination.

How Trump’s travel compares with other presidents

Barack Obama frequently played golf while president, and Joint Base Andrews, near Washington, was his most frequently used course. Playing near the capital generally required less long-distance transportation than traveling to privately owned courses in Florida or New Jersey.

Before entering office, Trump repeatedly criticized Obama’s golfing and said he would rarely leave the White House. He also said he would be too busy working to have time to play golf. Joe Biden frequently traveled to his homes in Delaware.

An Associated Press comparison found that Trump’s and Biden’s overall travel pace during the opening 6 months of their respective presidencies was similar, although Trump’s schedule placed greater emphasis on golf properties and sporting events.

Why presidential travel totals remain difficult to verify

Federal law requires certain agencies to submit reports on presidential-protection expenditures to Congress. However, a 2019 GAO investigation found that the Secret Service and the Department of Defense had not consistently prepared and submitted the required reports.

The Secret Service later implemented GAO’s reporting recommendation, but GAO reported that the related Defense Department recommendation remained open as of September 2024. Supporters say this could improve accountability across future administrations.

News organizations and watchdog groups, therefore, continue to use public schedules, pool reports, and historical government cost data to estimate presidential travel expenses. Local governments may separately seek federal reimbursement, including through the Presidential Residence Protection Assistance program available to Palm Beach County.

What does the projection mean going forward?

HuffPost projected in March 2026 that Trump’s second-term golf-related travel costs could approach $300 million if the same pace continued through January 2029. That amount would be nearly twice the outlet’s estimated $151.5 million first-term total.

The $300 million figure is a projection, not a government forecast or authorized spending total. The eventual amount will depend on the number, location, and length of future trips, the aircraft used, and the security resources required.

Because the estimate is based largely on historical government data, a definitive second-term total may not be available until agencies release more complete expenditure information. This story will likely continue to develop throughout his term.

Little-known fact: Trump claimed a hole-in-one at his West Palm Beach golf club in 2022 while playing with Ernie Els and 3 other professional golfers

TL;DR

• Trump’s golf trips have cost taxpayers over $101.2 million since January 2025.
• The analysis estimated that a typical Mar-a-Lago-centered trip cost approximately $3.4 million, but that figure does not apply to every golf outing.
• He has visited his West Palm Beach course 56 times so far.
• Spending is on pace to reach roughly $300 million by term’s end.
• Critics say the cost is hard to justify amid rising living costs.

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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