Fact check: What is the total amount of taxpayer money spent on Trump's golf trips since his presidency?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, Donald Trump has spent substantial amounts of taxpayer money on golf trips during and after his presidency. The data reveals:

• First term spending: Trump spent approximately $151.5-152 million in taxpayer money playing golf at his own resorts during his first presidential term ^{[1] [2]}
• Second term spending: At least $52 million has been spent in his second term ^[1]
• 2025 spending alone: Over $71 million has been spent on golf in 2025, with taxpayers covering Secret Service costs including over $600,000 for golf carts and portable toilets at his Bedminster club ^[1]
• Recent activity: One source indicates Trump spent $60.2 million golfing since January 20 ^[2]

The costs extend beyond just golf rounds themselves, encompassing security and travel expenses, including Air Force One flights and motorcade movements ^[1]. Trump's golf frequency was notable, with 51 days out of his first 206 days in office spent on the golf course ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

• Presidential security requirements: The analyses don't address whether these security costs are standard for any presidential travel, regardless of the activity
• Comparison to other presidents: No data is provided comparing Trump's golf-related expenses to other presidents' recreational or travel costs
• Economic benefits: The analyses don't mention potential economic benefits to local communities from presidential visits
• Official business conducted: There's no information about whether any official meetings or diplomatic activities occurred during these golf trips
• Cost breakdown methodology: The sources don't explain how these figures were calculated or what specific expenses are included beyond Secret Service costs

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself appears neutral, simply asking for factual information about taxpayer spending. However, the sources providing the data show clear partisan bias:

• Democratic Party sources: Multiple analyses cite democrats.org as a source ^[1], which would naturally benefit from highlighting high spending figures to criticize Trump
• Selective reporting: The sources focus exclusively on costs without providing comparative context or potential justifications for the expenses
• Timing considerations: Some figures appear to reference different time periods, potentially creating confusion about total amounts
• Incomplete data: Several sources were deemed irrelevant or provided no useful information ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]}, suggesting the full picture may not be available

The Democratic Party and Trump's political opponents would clearly benefit from promoting these high spending figures, as they support narratives about fiscal irresponsibility and self-enrichment through presidential office.