Harper Lin
Former US President Barack Obama was criticized by his successor, Donald Trump, for playing golf during the coronavirus pandemic. Obama was spotted playing golf in April 2020, around the same time his wife, Michelle Obama, released a public service announcement urging residents of Washington, D.C., to stay home. Trump, a frequent critic of Obama's golfing habits, took to Twitter to mock Obama for playing golf while his wife encouraged people to stay at home. This incident sparked discussions about the golfing habits of US presidents, with some comparing the number of times Obama and Trump played golf during their presidencies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 April 2020 |
| Location | Robert Trent Golf Club, Gainesville, VA |
| Time | Saturday afternoon |
| Other information | Michelle Obama released a PSA urging people to "stay home, unless you need necessary groceries or medicine" |
| Comparison with Trump | Trump criticised Obama for golfing during lockdown, despite Trump having golfed more than Obama during his presidency |
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What You'll Learn
Obama played golf during the COVID-19 lockdown
Former US President Barack Obama played golf during the COVID-19 lockdown in April 2020. This occurred at the same time his wife, Michelle Obama, released a public service announcement urging residents of Washington, D.C., to "stay home unless you need necessary groceries or medicine."
Obama was spotted playing golf at the Robert Trent Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, where he is a member. The decision to play golf during the lockdown attracted criticism, particularly from President Donald Trump, who attacked Obama on Twitter for his actions.
Trump's criticism of Obama's golfing comes despite his own frequent visits to golf courses during his presidency. Trump has been a vocal critic of Obama's golfing habits, previously stating that he would not have time to play golf if elected. However, Trump has been known to spend weekends on the golf course and has visited golf courses several times during his first month in office.
While President, Obama played more than 300 rounds of golf during his eight years in office. This included his first round of golf as President on April 26, 2009, which was approximately three months after taking office. Obama's golfing habits have been a topic of discussion, with some considering it a display of privilege and a lack of empathy during a time when thousands of Americans were losing their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Michelle Obama released a PSA urging people to stay home
During the coronavirus pandemic, former US President Barack Obama was criticised by then-President Donald Trump for golfing during lockdown. This was in April 2020, around the same time that his wife, Michelle Obama, released a public service announcement urging residents of Washington, D.C. to stay at home.
In the PSA, Michelle Obama said:
> Remember, we urge you to stay home except if you need essential health care, essential food or supplies, or to go to your essential job.
The former first lady also recorded robocalls and radio ads for D.C. residents, which were organised by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. These calls and ads were to inform residents about free testing and to remind them to stay at home to avoid spreading the virus.
In a 30-second PSA, Michelle Obama said:
> Hi everybody, it's Michelle Obama. Our communities are among the hardest hit by the coronavirus, and we've got to do everything we can to keep each other safe. And that means staying home because even if we are not showing any symptoms, we can still spread the virus to others. Let's keep each other safe by just staying home. Thank you so much and God bless.
The day after the PSAs were released, Barack Obama was seen playing golf at Robert Trent Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.
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Donald Trump criticised Obama for golfing during lockdown
During the coronavirus pandemic, former US President Barack Obama was spotted golfing in April 2020. This occurred around the same time as his wife, Michelle Obama, released a public service announcement urging residents of Washington, D.C., where the Obamas live, to "stay home unless you need necessary groceries or medicine."
President Donald Trump, facing criticism for playing golf over the Memorial Day weekend as the US coronavirus death toll approached 100,000, lashed out at Obama in a series of tweets:
> "Didn't Obama, whose Administration has now been caught cold illegally spying on the Trump campaign, recently also get caught playing golf on a course in Virginia, despite his wife Michelle urging people to stay home, before and after his round, in a major public service message?"
Trump's criticism of Obama for golfing during the lockdown is ironic given that he himself visited golf courses several times during his first months in office, despite frequently criticising Obama for doing the same. Trump had also pledged during his 2016 campaign that he would not have time to play golf if elected, as he would be "working for" the American people.
Trump's aides have tried to conceal his golfing habits, and fact-checkers have found it difficult to confirm the number of times he has played golf. However, according to TrumpGolfCount.com, he has made at least 142 daytime visits to golf clubs since becoming president, with evidence of him playing on at least 70 occasions as of November 2020. In comparison, Obama played over 300 rounds of golf during his eight years in office, with an estimated 105 rounds played as of January 2019.
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Trump was a vocal critic of Obama's golf habits
> I'm going to be working for you, I'm not going to have time to go play golf.
Trump also criticised Obama for golfing while on vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, minutes after condemning the murder of journalist James Foley. In an October 2016 speech, Trump said:
> Everything's executive order because he doesn't have enough time because he's playing so much golf. He doesn't have enough time to convince Congress to do it. This guy plays more golf than people on the PGA Tour.
Trump's criticism of Obama's golfing continued during the coronavirus pandemic, when he attacked Obama for playing golf in April 2020, close to the same time that Michelle Obama recorded a public service announcement urging people to stay at home. Trump tweeted:
> Didn't Obama, whose Administration has now been caught cold illegally spying on the Trump campaign, recently also get caught playing golf on a course in Virginia, despite his wife Michelle urging people to stay home, before and after his round, in a major public service message?
Despite his criticism of Obama, Trump has also been scrutinised for the amount of time he spent golfing during his presidency. According to CNN, Trump has spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course during his presidency, with Trump's company generating hundreds of thousands in revenue from charges to the Secret Service. Trump's frequent visits to his golf courses near his Mar-a-Lago estate have also resulted in federal agencies spending an average of $13.6 million on each of four Trump odysseys to Mar-a-Lago during his first term in office.
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Trump has been criticised for the amount of time he has spent golfing
While campaigning for the presidency, Donald Trump frequently criticized his predecessor, Barack Obama, for golfing too much. In August 2016, Trump stated, "I'm going to be working for you, I'm not going to have time to play golf." However, Trump has been criticized for spending a significant amount of time golfing during his presidency.
Trump visited golf courses several times during his first month in office. While the White House did not always disclose whether he played golf during these visits, it was confirmed that he played golf on at least three occasions during this period. According to an NBC News analysis, Trump spent 12 out of 14 weekends at his own properties during his first 100 days in office, often staying at Mar-a-Lago, where he could be found on his golf courses in West Palm Beach or Jupiter.
Trump's frequent stays at his personal residences and golf outings have been criticized as they occurred during a time of significant domestic and foreign policy changes, including the enactment of numerous executive orders, deportations, and tariffs. Additionally, journalists and ethics experts have alleged that these visits are a means of boosting publicity for his golf courses and selling more memberships.
Trump's golfing has also been a source of financial concern for American taxpayers. According to TrumpGolfCount.com, as of November 8, 2020, Trump had made 285 daytime visits to golf clubs and played on at least 142 occasions since becoming president. The website estimates that these golfing trips have cost taxpayers $142 million, with trips to Mar-a-Lago onboard Air Force One accounting for $59 million of that total.
In summary, despite his criticisms of Obama's golfing habits, Trump has spent a considerable amount of time golfing during his presidency, leading to accusations of hypocrisy and concerns about the financial burden on taxpayers.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Obama went golfing during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Yes, Obama was criticised by Donald Trump, who tweeted about Obama playing golf while his wife Michelle urged people to stay home.
Yes, Obama played his first round of golf as president on 26 April 2009, over three months after he took office.
Obama played over 300 rounds of golf during his eight years in office.
Obama played more golf than his successor, Trump, but less than Woodrow Wilson, who played an estimated 1,200 rounds, and Dwight Eisenhower, who played around 800 rounds.
