President Donald Trump explains golf remark
President Donald Trump brought up cheating while speaking in Dublin on September 12, 2026. He said the large Secret Service presence around him would make it difficult to move a golf ball improperly.
Trump made the remarks during an event with U.S. Embassy personnel and business leaders before traveling to Doonbeg, County Clare, where he later attended the 2026 Amgen Irish Open tournament.
Donald Trump points to Secret Service
Trump said the Secret Service presence around him prevented him from cheating at golf. He specifically mentioned moving a golf ball, saying agents would know that golfers are not supposed to change its position.
Trump referred to 250 Secret Service agents, although that number was his own description and not a publicly confirmed staffing total. His remarks presented the security presence as the reason improper ball movement would be difficult.
Donald Trump combines golf and diplomacy
Trump arrived in Dublin on September 12 for meetings with President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin. His schedule also included remarks to embassy personnel and business leaders before traveling west.
Later that afternoon, he flew to County Clare and reached his Doonbeg property for the Irish Open. The trip combined official presidential engagements with an appearance at a tournament hosted by his resort.
Donald Trump attends Irish Open at Doonbeg
The 2026 Amgen Irish Open ran from September 10 through September 13 at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg. The County Clare course hosted the tournament for the first time.
Trump attended tournament play on September 12 and returned for the September 13 final round, where Shane Lowry won by 11 strokes. The event also marked Doonbeg’s debut as a DP World Tour venue.
Donald Trump posts about limited golf time
Earlier on September 12, Trump posted a golf video on Truth Social and joked that he had very little time to play. The message appeared before his public comments about cheating later that day.
The post showed Trump on a green and praised his own golf ability. His Ireland schedule still included formal meetings in Dublin before he traveled to Doonbeg for the tournament that afternoon.
Donald Trump links golf and security
Trump discussed cheating as part of a light exchange about golf rather than a formal policy statement. He said that constant Secret Service attention meant he could not move his ball discreetly.
His wording acknowledged that he understood how a ball could be moved, while stopping short of saying he had done it. Older allegations about his golf conduct gave the remark added context.
Rick Reilly allegations predate Ireland trip
Sportswriter Rick Reilly published Commander in Cheat in 2019, examining Donald Trump’s golf habits through personal experiences and interviews with golfers, caddies, and other witnesses who accused Trump of moving balls and disregarding rules.
Those accounts remain attributed allegations rather than independently adjudicated findings. Trump continues to describe himself publicly as an accomplished golfer and to promote results from tournaments and championships held at his clubs.
Caddies allegedly nicknamed Donald Trump “Pelé”
Rick Reilly wrote that caddies at Winged Foot Golf Club nicknamed Trump “Pelé” because they allegedly saw him kick golf balls back toward the fairway. The nickname referred to Brazilian soccer star Pelé and his celebrated ability with a ball.
The anecdote comes from Reilly’s reporting and is an attributed allegation rather than verified tournament evidence. It became one of the most frequently repeated examples from Reilly’s broader criticism of Trump’s golf conduct.
Donald Trump owns the Doonbeg resort
The Trump Organization purchased the Doonbeg property in 2014 for a reported €15 million and renamed it Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland. The resort is located on Ireland’s Atlantic coast in County Clare.
The 2026 Irish Open brought a DP World Tour tournament to the property for the first time. Trump traveled there after his Dublin meetings and attended a play during the third round on September 12.
Donald Trump combines official and golf events
Trump’s visit to Ireland included presidential engagements in Dublin before he traveled to the golf resort bearing his name in Doonbeg. He met President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin before attending the Irish Open.
The two-day itinerary combined scheduled government meetings with appearances at an international golf tournament hosted at Trump International Golf Links. Trump attended tournament play on September 12 and returned for the final round.
Fun fact: Tiny protected snails once complicated development plans at Trump’s Doonbeg golf resort, forcing planners to consider conservation measures for creatures barely visible to the eye.
Doonbeg sees support and protests
Trump’s visit to Ireland has supporters who credit it with local jobs and tourism, while opponents have raised environmental and political objections. The mixed reaction was visible again during his September 2026 visit.
Irish officials also acknowledged the property’s economic role in County Clare. At the same time, demonstrations took place in Dublin and near Doonbeg over broader objections to Trump’s policies and international actions.
Donald Trump maintains long golf connection
Golf has remained one of Trump’s most visible personal interests during both of his presidential terms. His business portfolio includes multiple golf properties, and he has appeared at professional tournaments staged at courses carrying his name.
His Ireland visit continued that association, while his cheating remark drew attention to longstanding allegations about his conduct on the course. Trump discussed moving a ball, the same type of conduct previously alleged by critics, including sportswriter Rick Reilly.
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Donald Trump remark revives old allegations
Trump brought up cheating while recounting a conversation about his golf game and the presence of Secret Service agents. He said their presence meant he could not improperly move his ball without being noticed.
The comment attracted attention because Rick Reilly’s 2019 book had reported allegations about Trump’s golf conduct. Trump’s remarks about Ireland did not prove those allegations, but they brought the disputed accounts back into public discussion.
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Trump’s comments about cheating mixed golf, humor, presidential security, and years of outside allegations. Did his explanation change how you view the controversy around his game? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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