Harper Lin
Former US President Donald Trump was previously criticized for golfing during the 2019 US military raid against ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Trump was also accused of staging a Situation Room photo to make it seem like he was monitoring the raid. In August 2022, the FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago property, seizing classified documents as part of an investigation into potential mishandling of classified documents. While Trump's golfing activities during the Mar-a-Lago raid are unknown, the raid sparked controversy and impacted his political support.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of golf courses owned by Trump | 17 worldwide as of 2016 |
| Number of times Trump has played golf since his inauguration | 285 daytime visits to golf clubs, with evidence of playing on at least 142 occasions as of November 8, 2020 |
| Cost of Trump's golfing trips to taxpayers | $142 million as estimated by TrumpGolfCount.com |
| Number of days spent golfing during presidency | 307 days, almost a full year |
| Cost of security for Trump's visits to Mar-a-Lago | $45 million |
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What You'll Learn
- Trump was playing golf during the raid, according to some sources
- Trump said he was in the Situation Room, watching the raid unfold
- The White House photographer for Obama suggested the photo was staged
- The photo was taken at 5:05 pm, hours after the raid ended, at 3:30 pm
- Trump played golf that day, from 11 am to 3:30 pm, returning to the White House at 4:30 pm
Trump was playing golf during the raid, according to some sources
While it is unclear which specific raid is being referred to, sources indicate that Donald Trump spent a significant amount of time playing golf during his presidency. TrumpGolfCount.com estimates that Trump visited golf clubs 285 times since becoming president, with evidence of him playing on at least 142 occasions as of November 8, 2020. Trump's frequent golfing trips have drawn criticism due to the associated costs borne by American taxpayers, estimated to be over $100 million.
Trump's love for the game is well-known, and he has been criticised for spending a considerable amount of time on the golf course, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2017, he spent 91 days playing golf, followed by 75 days in 2018, 87 days in 2019, and 54 days in 2020. Trump's golfing trips have also been a source of controversy due to the potential for self-enrichment, with concerns raised about him allegedly overcharging the Secret Service for accommodation during his first term.
Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, was also criticised for golfing while in office, but Trump's golf outings have been more frequent and often involved plane travel, resulting in higher costs. The Palm Beach County Sheriff, Ric Bradshaw, has requested additional funding to provide security for Trump's visits, with an initial invoice of $45 million expected to rise.
While the exact timing of Trump's golfing activities relative to specific raids is unclear, it is safe to assume that his frequent golf outings and the associated costs have been a source of public scrutiny during his presidency.
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Trump said he was in the Situation Room, watching the raid unfold
In October 2019, a photograph was released by the White House of President Donald Trump and national security officials watching the raid on Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, in Syria. The image, which shows Trump in the Situation Room of the White House, sparked online accusations of fakery and conspiracy theories that it was staged. This was due to anomalies in the photograph, such as the mass of ethernet cables on the table, many of which were not plugged into anything, and the fact that Trump and his team were wearing suits and ties and appeared less formal than Barack Obama and his team during the raid on Osama bin Laden.
Trump himself stated that he did not arrive in the Situation Room until around 5 pm. The photograph was taken at 5:06 pm, according to the image's metadata, and the raid began at 3:30 pm in Washington, DC, corresponding to 6 pm in Syria. This led to speculation that the photograph was taken after the raid had already taken place, or even two days in advance. However, there is no evidence to support these claims, and the photograph was taken while the raid was still in progress.
Trump described in detail the death of al-Baghdadi, who he said had detonated a suicide vest after fleeing into a tunnel, "whimpering and crying and screaming." He also stated that al-Baghdadi died like a "sick and depraved" coward, along with three of his children. The Pentagon, however, reported that the raid was successful "in spite of" Trump's actions, rather than because of them.
Trump's love of golf has been well-documented, and he has been criticized for the amount of time he spent golfing during his presidency. It is estimated that he accumulated 285 daytime visits to golf clubs during his presidency, with evidence of him playing on at least 142 occasions as of November 2020. Trump's golfing trips have reportedly cost taxpayers $142 million, with trips to Mar-a-Lago onboard Air Force One accounting for $59 million.
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The White House photographer for Obama suggested the photo was staged
While there is no explicit mention of Trump golfing during a raid, he has been criticized for the amount of time he spent golfing during his presidency. According to the website TrumpGolfCount.com, Trump visited golf clubs 285 times and played golf on at least 142 occasions as of November 2020. Trump's golfing trips have been estimated to have cost taxpayers $142 million, with trips to Mar-a-Lago onboard Air Force One accounting for $59 million.
Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, played 105 rounds of golf during his time in office. Trump had criticized Obama for golfing while president, but Trump's golfing trips have been more expensive for taxpayers due to the use of Air Force One and Secret Service protection.
The White House photographer for Obama, Pete Souza, suggested that a photo of Trump golfing with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus was staged. Souza pointed out that the photo was taken from a unique angle and that Trump had a history of staging or photoshopping images to make himself look better. He also noted that Trump had a pattern of golfing with famous people and posting the photos on social media.
Souza's claims were supported by other sources, including a Washington Post article that reported on the staged nature of Trump's photos. Additionally, a New York Times article mentioned that Trump had a history of using photoshopped images to make himself look thinner and taller.
The staging of the golf photo by Trump is indicative of his administration's focus on image and presentation. It also raises questions about the transparency and authenticity of the information presented to the public by the Trump administration.
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The photo was taken at 5:05 pm, hours after the raid ended, at 3:30 pm
It is unclear what specific incident of a raid is being referred to in relation to Trump golfing. However, there is extensive reporting on Trump's golfing habits during his presidency, with some criticism regarding the frequency and cost of his trips to golf courses.
Trump has been reported to have spent almost a full year golfing during his presidency. As of November 2020, it was estimated that he had made 285 daytime visits to golf clubs, with evidence of him playing on at least 142 occasions. This number of golfing trips far surpasses that of his predecessor, Barack Obama, who played 105 rounds of golf during his time in office.
Trump's golfing trips have been estimated to have cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Federal agencies spent an average of $13.6 million on each of the four Trump odysseys to Mar-a-Lago during his first term in office. Trump's trips to Mar-a-Lago onboard Air Force One have been reported to cost $59 million.
Trump's love for golf has also been noted in his frequent visits to his golf courses in Florida. In 2017, he spent four out of the first seven weekends after his inauguration golfing in Florida. In 2025, he made his sixth visit to Florida and his beloved golf courses since his inauguration that year.
Given the available information, it is possible that Trump was photographed golfing at 5:05 pm, hours after a raid ended at 3:30 pm. However, it is important to note that the specific details of the raid and the timing of the photo are not mentioned in the sources provided.
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Trump played golf that day, from 11 am to 3:30 pm, returning to the White House at 4:30 pm
On 27 October 2019, Donald Trump was reported to have gone golfing on the day of a U.S. military raid that resulted in the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Trump played golf that day, from 11 am to 3:30 pm, returning to the White House at 4:30 pm.
Trump's movements that day were scrutinized due to a photograph of him in the White House Situation Room, which was alleged to have been staged. Pete Souza, the official White House photographer, noted that the timestamp of the photo—taken at 5:05 pm—did not match the reported time of the operation, which occurred at 3:30 pm. This led to speculation that Trump was golfing during the raid.
Trump's supporters refuted these claims, stating that the raid may have still been ongoing when the photograph was taken. Additionally, media outlets such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Reuters placed Trump at the White House at the time of the raid. Pool reports also confirmed Trump's presence at the White House, stating that he returned from golfing shortly before 4:30 pm.
While the timing of events remains debated, it is clear that Trump engaged in a round of golf on the day of the raid, returning to the White House before gathering with his administration in the Situation Room.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear whether Trump was golfing during the raid. While some sources claim that Trump was golfing during the raid, others suggest that he was present in the Situation Room at the time. Trump himself said he arrived in the Situation Room around 5 pm, and the raid began around that time.
A tweet from Pete Souza, the former chief White House photographer, suggested that the raid took place at 3:30 pm, and Trump was on a golf outing until just after 3 pm. A Trump golf outing tracker also showed the president was golfing at 3:33 pm Washington time.
The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Reuters place Trump at the White House at the time of the raid, which began around 5 pm. White House pool reports also place him at the White House.
The raid took place in Syria, so there is a time difference to consider when comparing the timing of the raid to Trump's schedule. Additionally, the exact timeline of the raid may not have been clear, as on-the-ground posts about the helicopter raid in Syria started surfacing shortly after 5 pm EST, which would be 11 pm in Syria.
There were claims that the photo was staged because the timestamp of the photo, 5:05 pm, did not match the reported time of the raid, 3:30 pm. However, it is possible that the raid was still ongoing when the photo was taken, and Trump himself said he didn't arrive in the Situation Room until around 5 pm.
