On Christmas Day, President Donald Trump tweeted that he would soon be getting “back to work in order to Make America Great Again.” He spent the rest of the week playing rounds of golf at his private club in Palm Beach, Florida.
White House press pool reporters were ushered to a local IHOP and, for the most part, largely left in the dark about the president’s whereabouts and activity, during that time.
I hope everyone is having a great Christmas, then tomorrow it’s back to work in order to Make America Great Again (which is happening faster than anyone anticipated)!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2017
On Dec. 26, the White House did, however, acknowledge that Trump spent the day golfing with “Sen. David Perdue of Georgia, Bryson DeChambau, a PGA tour player and former PGA player Dana Quigley,” pool reports said.
The following day at 9 a.m., local time the president arrived at Trump International Golf Club, while pool reporters were once again sent to IHOP, and also a nearby library. Later that same afternoon, the pool reported, “Your pooler has asked White House flak Hogan Gidley several times for any guidance on how the president spent his afternoon. We will let you know if and when we receive word, but many signs point to golf.”
Trump wasn’t the only one treating himself to a relaxing week.
The president’s daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner respectively, were seen walking to the private club in casual poolside outfits. “At one point, your pool spotted Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, walking toward the club. Kushner was wearing a gray t-shirt, light blue swim trunks and flip flops, and Ivanka was clad in a white and blue striped shirt dress,” according to pool reports.
Later on that same afternoon, Trump met with firefighters at the West Palm Beach firehouse in an unannounced visit.
At 8:36 a.m. on Dec. 28, Trump once again arrived at his private golf club, while the press was sent to a combination of the library and the IHOP.
Later in the afternoon, CNN cameras caught the president golfing and the press pool wrote, “The White House has not responded to multiple inquiries about the president’s activities today while he was the club, even after CNN aired footage of the president on the course standing near a golf cart.”
Trump spent at least some portion of each following day, including New Year’s Day, at his golf club. On Monday, it was reported that Trump golfed with pro golfer Taylor Funk who was highly complimentary of the president’s gameplay, and said he took no phone calls.
Pro golfer Taylor Funk on President Trump’s golf game: “He shot a legit 36 on the front nine… He’s definitely a lot better than I thought he was going to be. He’s a good player.” https://t.co/rL6YePqE1I pic.twitter.com/BUEEEYz9OR
— CNN (@CNN) January 2, 2018
“It was all golf,” Funk said.
Taylor Funk, who also golfed with Trump, says the President did not take any calls or meetings during the game: "It was all golf" https://t.co/ZcL8ddLdWT
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) January 2, 2018
