Jackson Reid
Former US President Barack Obama has been known to play golf on Thanksgiving. In 2017, while Obama was serving food to homeless veterans, then-President Donald Trump was golfing and tweeting. In 2018, Obama volunteered at a food bank on Thanksgiving while Trump played golf in Florida. In 2020, Obama played golf in Hawaii during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 2017, 2018, 2020 |
| Who | Barack Obama |
| What | Played golf and had sushi |
| Where | Mid-Pacific Country Club, Hawaii |
| Comparison | Obama's successor, Donald Trump spent Thanksgiving playing golf in Florida |
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What You'll Learn
Obama volunteers at food banks for Thanksgiving
While Barack Obama did play golf during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2017, he and his family often spent the holiday volunteering at food banks or pantries to distribute food to those in need. In 2017, while Obama fed homeless veterans, Donald Trump golfed and tweeted. The following year, in 2018, Obama volunteered at a food bank in Chicago while Trump played golf in Florida.
The Obamas' tradition of volunteering at food banks during Thanksgiving contrasts with Trump's typical Thanksgiving activities. Trump has been criticised for spending the majority of the holiday congratulating himself and dining with elite members of Florida's high society. In 2017, he also visited members of the US Coast Guard in Riviera Beach, Florida. Trump has also been criticised for deploying thousands of troops to the US-Mexico border in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, causing many military families to be separated over the holiday.
Obama's affinity for golf is well-known, and he has been criticised by Trump and the media for the amount of time he spent on the golf course during his presidency. However, Trump has spent significantly more time golfing and has made more golf-related trips during his presidency than Obama. Trump has also been criticised for his larger carbon footprint in relation to his golf trips.
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Obama serves food to the homeless
While Barack Obama did play golf during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2020, he and his family often spent the holiday serving food to those in need. In 2017, while Donald Trump golfed and tweeted, Obama fed homeless veterans. The Obamas also volunteered at food banks or pantries, while Trump visited troops overseas.
In 2018, Obama volunteered at a food bank in Chicago while Trump played golf in Florida. Obama's Thanksgiving tradition of serving food to the homeless aligns with his belief in addressing the root causes of hunger. This stands in contrast to Trump's approach, who has been criticised for spending the majority of the holiday congratulating himself and golfing with elite members of Florida's high society.
Obama's affinity for golf is well-documented, with 98 rounds of golf played during his presidency. However, Trump has outpaced Obama in time spent on the golf course, with 248 days spent at a golf course during his first term. This discrepancy highlights the different approaches taken by the two presidents during the Thanksgiving holiday.
On Thanksgiving in 2020, Obama continued his eating streak while in Oahu, visiting Mitch's Sushi and even getting behind the sushi bar. He also played golf at the Mid-Pacific Country Club. This holiday weekend rounds out his post-presidency life, which has been filled with incredible meals and world travels.
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Obama plays golf in Hawaii
While Barack Obama did play golf in Hawaii, it is unclear whether he did so on Thanksgiving. Obama has been criticised by Donald Trump for playing golf while on the job as president. However, sources indicate that Obama and his wife Michelle spent their Thanksgiving volunteering at food banks or pantries to distribute food to those in need.
Obama has a well-documented affinity for golf, with Trump claiming that "Barack was always playing golf". Data provided to CNN by Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent, revealed that Obama played 98 rounds of golf through this point in his presidency. Obama's golfing trips to Hawaii have been criticised by Trump, who claims that Obama's trips to Hawaii harmed his "so-called Carbon Footprint".
Despite Trump's criticism, it seems that he has spent more time on the golf course than Obama. Trump has made 30 trips to Palm Beach, Florida, totalling 51,540 miles, while Obama made three vacation trips to Hawaii, totalling 29,978 miles. Trump has also spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course, while Obama played 98 rounds of golf through this point in his presidency.
So, while Obama did play golf in Hawaii, it is unclear if he did so on Thanksgiving. Obama's Thanksgiving was typically spent serving those in need, rather than playing golf.
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Obama's affinity for Japanese cuisine
Barack Obama volunteered at a food bank in Chicago for Thanksgiving in 2018, while Donald Trump played golf in Florida. Obama has been known to enjoy Japanese cuisine, visiting the famed sushi restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo in 2014. The restaurant was featured in the 2011 documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi".
Obama's love for Japanese food is not surprising given the country's rich and diverse food culture. The Wakasa region, for example, is known for its processing methods such as "heshiko" (fish pickled in rice-bran paste) and "narezushi" (sushi fermented with fish and vegetables), which is considered the prototype of Japanese sushi. The beautiful water of Wakasa Bay, influenced by the abundant forests in the surrounding mountains, also contributes to the area's unique food culture.
The city of Obama, located in the Fukui Prefecture, is particularly known for its seafood, including Japanese tiger puffer fish, red sea bream, and mackerel. The city's hot springs, or "onsen", are also a popular attraction, with tourists often purchasing towels featuring an illustration of President Obama soaking in the springs.
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Obama's post-presidency life
Barack Obama's post-presidency life has included volunteering at food banks, serving food to the homeless, and spending time with his family. In 2017, the year he left office, Obama and his family served food to those in need on Thanksgiving, while Donald Trump played golf in Florida. Obama has also been travelling the world, from Italy to Indonesia, and meeting world leaders. He has been seen dining with Justin Trudeau and Bono, and enjoying Japanese cuisine.
Obama has also been golfing in his post-president years. In 2020, he enjoyed a round of golf in Oahu over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. This was noted by some as a contrast to his Thanksgiving activities as President, where he often served food to those in need.
Obama has been criticised by Trump for the amount of time he spent on the golf course during his presidency. However, it has been noted that Trump has, in fact, spent more time golfing than Obama did during his time in office. Trump has also been criticised for the carbon footprint of his golfing trips, which far exceed those of Obama's trips to Hawaii.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Obama played golf on the Thanksgiving weekend in 2017.
Obama, his wife Michelle, and their daughters often spent Thanksgiving serving food to those in need. They also volunteered at food banks or pantries to distribute food.
No, Trump has spent more time golfing than Obama did through this point in his term.
In 2018, Obama volunteered at a food bank for Thanksgiving.
Yes, Trump golfed on Thanksgiving Eve in 2017.
