Donald Trump has victory on golf course amid tariffs turmoil

It’s been a successful weekend on the golf course for Donald Trump. Critics have teed off at the US President for pursuing his favourite hobby as the world reels in the wake of his tariffs.

The White House has confirmed the US President is on a winning streak as he progresses through the rounds of a seniors golf tournament in Florida.

“The President won his second round matchup of the Senior Club Championship today in Jupiter, Florida, and advances to the Championship Round tomorrow,” the White House said in a statement.

While Mr Trump did not appear publicly this weekend, he was photographed coming and going from Florida courses.

President Donald Trump talks on the phone as he arrives at Trump National Golf Club on Sunday. Picture: AP

He also posted a video to Truth Social of himself teeing off sporting his signature red Make America Great Again cap as his supporters cheered, “good shot!”

The revelation infuriated his critics including Minority Leader of the United States Senate, Democrat Chuck Schumer.

US President Donald Trump shows off his golf swing. Picture: Truth Social

His decision to play golf has not been well received by Democrats. Picture: Truth Social

“Honestly I had to check more than once that this was real,” Mr Schumer wrote on X.

“He’s mocking you, and he just so obviously doesn’t care that he’s wrecking the economy and wrecking Americans’ retirement accounts.”

Mr Schumer followed up with a cheeky quip about the President’s golfing ability.

Does anyone really think Trump will lose his own club’s championship today? pic.twitter.com/S5Ye5LRATX

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 6, 2025

“Does anyone really think Trump will lose his own club’s championship today?”

His sentiments were echoed by fellow Democrat Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico.

“While the American people are trying to put food on the table, I see that Donald Trump’s out there playing golf,” he said.

“The president should be listening to people across the country. Maybe he should go into a grocery store, do some walking, talking to folks.”

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‘HANG TOUGH’: TRUMP’S MESSAGE TO AMERICANS

Donald Trump has issued a message urging Americans to “hang tough” after thousands descended on Washington’s National Mall and rallied in other cities across the US, the largest protests since he returned to the presidency.

The US President took to Truth Social in an attempt to rally support and claim other nations had been “hit much harder than the USA”.

“Already, more than FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS OF INVESTMENT, and rising fast! THIS IS AN ECONOMIC REVOLUTION, AND WE WILL WIN,” he wrote in typical fashion.

“HANG TOUGH, it won’t be easy, but the end result will be historic.”

A big “HANDS OFF!” banner stretched across the stage of an outdoor theatre just a few blocks from the White House, with protesters holding signs that read “Not My President!”, “Fascism has Arrived,” “Hands Off Our Social Security” and “Wake Up and Smell the Coup.”

US President Donald Trump. Picture: Getty

At a time of spreading global resentment against the Republican president – heightened by his announcement Wednesday of sweeping tariffs against scores of countries – demonstrators also marched in several European capitals.

“What’s happening in America is everyone’s problem,” Liz Chamberlin, a dual US-British citizen living in England told AFP at a London rally. “It’s economic lunacy … He is going to push us into a global recession.” And in Berlin, 70-year-old retiree Susanne Fest said Trump had created “a constitutional crisis,” adding, “The guy is a lunatic.” In the US, a loose coalition of dozens of left-leaning groups like MoveOn and Women’s March organised “Hands Off” events in more than 1,000 cities and in every congressional district, the groups said.

Protesters gather during a demonstration against the policies of US President Donald Trump and his adviser, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in California. Picture: AFP

Thousands of people descended on Washington's National Mall and rallied in other cities across the United States and abroad in opposition to the policies of Donald Trump. Picture: AFP

The unifying theme: the growing resentment of what another organising group, Indivisible, has called “the most brazen power grab in modern history,” led by Trump and his close adviser Elon Musk.

Trump has angered many Americans by moving aggressively to downsize the government, unilaterally impose his conservative values and sharply pressure even friendly countries over borders and trade terms – causing stock markets to tank.

“People here in the United States are really not cool with what’s going on in DC right now,” protester Rachael Nevins told AFP at a rally in New York.

Many Democrats are irate that their party, in the minority in both houses of Congress, has seemed so helpless to resist Trump’s aggressive moves.

“The Democrat Party is kind of wimping out … and not actually standing up for our rights,” said Abbott Sherwin, 19, a college student from Raleigh, North Carolina who was marching in Washington, adding that “the Republican Party is a cult around Trump.”

Demonstrators gather outside the Minnesota State Capitol during the nationwide "Hands Off!" protest against US President Donald Trump. Picture: AFP

Thousands of people convened on the National Mall, just blocks from the White House, to hear speakers including Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat who served as impeachment manager during Trump’s second impeachment.

“They’ve woken up a sleeping giant, and they haven’t seen nothing yet,” activist Graylan Hagler, 71, told the crowd. “We will not sit down, we will not be quiet, and we will not go away.” The demonstrations were largely peaceful. A festive atmosphere prevailed on a mild day in Washington, with protesters ranging from the elderly to young couples with infants in strollers.

A Women’s March protest shortly after Trump’s first election in 2016 drew an estimated half-million people to Washington. Organisers for the latest Washington rally had predicted a turnout of 20,000 but by Saturday afternoon said the number appeared considerably larger.

Demonstrators gather outside the Minnesota State Capitol during the nationwide "Hands Off!" protest against US President Donald Trump. Picture: AFP

As Trump continues aggressively shaking things up in Washington and beyond, his approval rating has fallen to its lowest since taking office, according to recent polling.

But despite pushback around the globe to his sweeping imposition of tariffs, and bubbling resentment from many Americans, the White House has dismissed the protests.

The Republican president, still popular with his base, has given no sign of relenting.

WHAT TRUMP SAID TO HARRIS AFTER ELECTION VICTORY

Donald Trump caught former Vice President Kamala Harris and her aides off guard when the typically abrasive president politely praised her as a “tough cookie” and congratulated her on running a “great” campaign when she called him to concede his victory in the 2024 election, according to a new book.

“I’m calling to concede. It was a fair election. The peaceful transfer of power is important. It’s important to the country,” Harris reportedly told Trump on the phone the day after the election, according to author Chris Whipple‘s new book “Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History.”

However, she could not help but take a light jab at the divisive president-elect at the time, adding “I hope you’re president for all Americans.”

Instead of taking that comment personally and snapping back, however, Trump was cordial and even praised Harris’ late-entry campaign as he basked in his historic win, according to Whipple.

“You’re a tough cookie. You were really great. And that Doug — what a character! I love that guy,” the now-president said, referring to Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff.

Kamala Harris speaks onstage during the HumanX AI Conference 2025 in Las Vegas, months after her election defeat. Picture: Getty

One of Harris’ aides, however, found the president’s tone — a complete change from his campaign rhetoric — “odd and inappropriate.”

“I was like, what?” the unidentified aide barked. “Honestly, I felt like, what is this? It’s so manipulative. He’s a sociopath.”

The traditional concession call almost never happened, however, due to technical difficulties — adding to the awkwardness of the moment, Whipple said in the book, according to an excerpt obtained by The Post.

Harris’ campaign Chief of Staff Sheila Nix and her White House Chief of Staff Lorraine Voles set up the call from Harris’ Naval Observatory home in Washington, DC — but when she phoned Trump, the calls wouldn’t merge with Harris’ phone.

Instead, the Voles called Harris from her phone, and she and Nix “pressed the phones together,” Whipple wrote.

As Harris heard Trump’s voice come through, she “felt the weight of the crushing defeat,” according to Whipple.

Whipple’s new book will hit the shelves Tuesday.

This story was originally published on the New York Post.

NETANYAHU TO MEET WITH TRUMP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington on Sunday local time to meet with US President Donald Trump and discuss issues including tariffs and the “Iranian threat”, his office said.

“The two leaders will discuss tariffs, efforts to bring back Israeli hostages (from Gaza), Israel-Turkey relations, the Iranian threat, and the fight against the International Criminal Court,” which has accused Netanyahu of war crimes, his office said in a statement.

– with AFP

Originally published as Donald Trump has victory on golf course amid tariffs turmoil