Donald Trump Cheating At Golf: What Did The Viral Video Show That Led to the Accusation?

A new video of Donald Trump golfing at his Turnberry resort in Scotland has reignited long-standing accusations of the US president often cheating during a golf game.

The clip, shared widely on social media, shows Trump pulling up in a golf cart near a sand trap while his caddie, walking just ahead of him, appears to discreetly drop a ball into the rough. Trump then walks toward the ball, but the video cuts off before he plays his next shot. Posted by the left-leaning account PatriotTakes on July 27, the footage has garnered over 4.5 million views on X (formerly Twitter).

While the clip lacks full context, there's no evidence of where his previous shot landed or whether the ball was in play. However, viewers were quick to accuse Trump of planting a new ball to improve his position.

Trump's Golf Ethics Have Been Questioned In Past Too

The latest video has stirred up memories of previous allegations. Trump has long claimed to be a gifted golfer, boasting about tournament wins. But his playing style has been criticised over the years by sportswriters, celebrities, and even former teammates.

Sports journalist Rick Reilly devoted an entire book to the subject in 2019, Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump. Reilly wrote, 'Trump doesn't just cheat at golf. He throws it, boots it, and moves it... At Winged Foot, where Trump is a member, the caddies got so used to seeing him kick his ball back onto the fairway they came up with a nickname for him: 'Pele.''

Reilly also quoted a fellow Winged Foot member, Bryan Marsal, who recalled Trump admitting to cheating while assuming others would do the same. 'See me? I cheat. And I expect you to cheat because we're going to beat those two guys today,' Marsal remembered him saying.

Celebrity Encounters Raise Eyebrows

Trump's questionable conduct on the course hasn't gone unnoticed by high-profile figures. Actor Samuel L. Jackson once told Page Six, 'I don't cheat,' when asked who was the better golfer between him and Trump.

Oscar De La Hoya told the Associated Press in 2016 that Trump would mysteriously 'find' his ball in a perfect position after hitting a poor shot. 'And by the way I'm picking it up,' De La Hoya recalled Trump saying. 'It's a gimme.'

Rock musician Alice Cooper was more reserved, but hinted at a similar experience, saying in 2012, 'I played golf with Donald Trump one time. That's all I'm going to say.'

White House Responds

When asked to comment on the latest footage, a White House spokesperson did not directly address the cheating allegations. Instead, they highlighted Trump's recent diplomatic work, pointing to a trade agreement with the European Union and a ceasefire deal in Southeast Asia.

'Instead of covering the news that matters to everyday Americans, the legacy media is peddling a false narrative about the President's legendary golf game,' the spokesperson, Taylor Rogers, said in an email to media houses.

Why was Trump in Scotland?

Trump's visit to Scotland coincided with meetings with EU and UK leaders ahead of an important trade deadline. On July 27, he announced a new trade agreement with the EU, setting most tariffs at 15% which is lower than his original proposal of 30% but higher than what European negotiators had aimed for.

While in Scotland, he also visited his family-owned golf resorts along with his son Eric Trump, including Trump Turnberry, where the now-viral video was recorded.

Whether the latest clip proves anything conclusive remains unclear, but it seems that several people online are convinced that, just like in politics, Trump also likes to find his own rules and way on the golf course. And the debate over Trump's conduct on the green field is far from over.