Fact check: Was 100M spent on golf for President Trump

1. Why the “$100M on golf” claim sounds dramatic — and what the records actually show

Reporting does not corroborate a $100 million line item specifically for golf. The most concrete U.S.-based figure in recent reporting is the Secret Service spending nearly $100,000 at Trump-owned properties in the early months of his second term, with significant portions tied to visits where he played golf, meaning agency accommodation and operational expenses flowed to his businesses rather than an aggregate $100 million golf tab ^[1]. This figure is an order of magnitude smaller than the claim and reflects short-term security and lodging transactions, not a long-term rounding-up to $100 million.

2. The UK and Scottish dispute: policing bills, not green fees

Scottish and UK government reporting centers on £24.1m–£26m in policing and operational costs tied to Trump’s visits to Scotland, with the Scottish government asking the UK Treasury for reimbursement and the UK government arguing the visits were private and thus Scotland’s responsibility ^{[2] [4]}. Much of the headline total relates to policing, transport and wider public-service burdens during visits to Trump-owned Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire courses; these are security overheads, not payments for rounds of golf or course fees paid to the Trump Organization ^{[2] [5]}.

3. Independent cost estimates that cut against the $100M narrative

A separate fact-check estimated the operating cost for one of Trump’s trips — including Air Force One hourly operational costs and Secret Service overtime — at about $9.7 million, a figure far below $100 million and focused on logistics and security rather than leisure spending ^[3]. That estimate underscores that official trip operating costs can be substantial but are typically measured in single-digit millions per trip, contradicting any composite claim that $100 million was expended specifically on golf activities alone ^[3].

4. Where the larger headline numbers come from and what they omit

The larger UK headline totals — the £24m–£26m policing bill — are often framed alongside Trump’s golf visits, producing an impression that the sum paid for golf itself. However, reporting clarifies that £21m of the bill related to activities around his golf-course tour but refers to policing costs tied to the visit, not course fees or payments to the Trump Organization for rounds ^[5]. Coverage that equates policing or security expenditures with payments “for golf” omits the critical distinction between public safety costs and private leisure spending ^{[2] [5]}.

5. Who is reporting these numbers and what might their agendas be

The U.S. figure comes from watchdog reporting and ethics-focused groups highlighting government spending at properties owned by a former president, reflecting concerns about self-dealing and public funds flowing to private businesses ^[1]. UK and Scottish reporting includes government statements and local press emphasizing budgetary strain on public services, with political incentives to either seek reimbursement or argue the visit was private. Each source frames costs to support institutional or political positions, so cross-referencing is necessary ^{[2] [4]}.

6. Comparing timelines and the most recent reporting

The Secret Service spending detail was reported in mid-October 2025, while the UK-Scottish dispute and policing totals were widely reported on October 22, 2025, and an earlier fact-check estimating trip operating costs was published in August 2025 ^{[1] [2] [3]}. These timelines show convergent but distinct narratives: U.S. watchdog focus on agency purchases at private properties, and UK authorities focused on policing burden for visits — both recent but addressing different cost categories ^{[2] [3]}.

7. Bottom line: what can be asserted as fact and what remains conflated

It is a verifiable fact that the Secret Service spent nearly $100,000 at Trump properties in the early months of his term and that Scotland reported £24–26 million in policing costs for Trump’s Scottish visits; it is not a verified fact that $100 million was spent “on golf” for President Trump. Many reports conflate security and policing costs with direct payments for golf or suggest aggregated totals without disaggregating categories, which creates misleading impressions ^{[1] [2] [5]}.

8. What readers should watch next

Readers should seek itemized breakdowns from official accounts — detailed Secret Service purchase logs and the Scottish government’s line-item policing invoices — to distinguish lodging and operational spending from policing costs and private-course fees. Watch for official Treasury responses and any release of invoices or audits, since current reporting relies on aggregated figures and advocacy or government statements that carry differential incentives to emphasize or downplay specific cost categories ^{[5] [2]}.