CNN Analyst Stunned by Trump's 'Embarrassing' Golf Victory Lap Amid Economic Concerns
Key Takeaways
- •Trump announced on Truth Social that he won the Bedminster Senior Club Championship with a final-round score of 70, which is two under par for the course.
- •CNN commentator Jamal Simmons criticized the president's celebration as embarrassing, arguing it reflects misplaced priorities amid economic difficulties facing American households.
- •Simmons cited declining personal savings, rising credit card delinquencies, and gasoline prices above $4 per gallon as pressing concerns being overshadowed by the president's golf publicity.
- •According to the Trump Golf Tracker, Sunday marked Trump's 125th day playing golf since his second term began in 2025, with estimated taxpayer costs of at least $175 million.
- •Trump frequently criticized President Barack Obama's golf outings during his 2016 campaign, highlighting the longstanding political scrutiny of presidential leisure activities.
President Donald Trump drew sharp criticism from a CNN analyst on Monday after taking a public "victory lap" over a golf tournament he claimed to have won at his own club over the weekend.
On Sunday, Trump, 80, posted on Truth Social that he had won the Bedminster Senior Club Championship at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He reported a final-round score of 70, which would be two under par for the course. The self-congratulatory post is characteristic of Trump's social media style, which frequently blends official messaging with personal promotions.
The claim caught the attention of CNN political commentator Jamal Simmons during a segment on "OutFront," hosted by Brianna Keilar. Simmons visibly reacted to the post during the broadcast.
"I'm trying to compose myself because it's a little embarrassing to have the leader of the country spend his time doing this!" Simmons said.
Simmons went on to contrast Trump's golf celebration with the economic pressures facing ordinary Americans, touching on the kind of pocketbook concerns that have historically shaped voter sentiment toward incumbents.
"Look, for average Americans, we see that personal savings are going down. We see the credit card delinquencies are going up. Gas is back up over $4 a gallon," Simmons noted. "And here they have the President of the United States spending his time talking about what's happening in a golf tournament that he may or may not have won, because we don't know. Sometimes the president doesn't tell the truth about things."
"I just don't know how the American public is going to look at this and say, this president is focused on our concerns, our agenda," he added. "Instead, this guy seems to be focused on his own golf game."
The exchange echoes a recurring political dynamic: presidential leisure activities have long been scrutinized as a measure of attentiveness to public duties. Trump himself was a frequent critic of President Barack Obama's golf outings during his first presidential campaign in 2016.
According to the Trump Golf Tracker, Sunday's outing at Bedminster marked the 125th day Trump has played golf since his second term began in 2025. The website estimates that Trump's golf outings have cost taxpayers at least $175 million.
The Bedminster golf club, located in Somerset County, New Jersey, is one of several properties owned by the Trump Organization. Trump has frequently spent weekends at the club during his presidency, hosting both official events and leisure activities at the venue.
