Donald Trump has bragged about his golf game for years.
He recently got to flaunt his famous putting skills during what some call the perfect setup at the White House. The president was made to look like the master of golf.
But the moment completely backfired. Instead, it made the commander in chief look like the weakest link after trying to outshine children and professional athletes.
Trump stood among a crowd of children in the Oval Office on May 5. The moment was used to push for the return of annual physical tests in public schools.
The Presidential Physical Fitness Award, phased out under Barack Obama, has become something he’s been eager to revive.
Calling it a celebration of athletic tradition, Trump praised fitness while joking about his own routine, saying he works out “like one minute a day, max, if I’m lucky.”
He was later joined on the South Lawn by youth attendees, two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, and golf legend Gary Player.
The elderly leader wanted everyone’s attention, and he got it by demonstrating what he calls the perfect swing.
At the WH physical fitness event today, Trump takes the kids outside to demonstrate his athletic ability with a little putting display. He misses every putt before giving up. pic.twitter.com/yYLQhHEEih
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) May 5, 2026
Everyone locked in as Trump lined up the putt. He took a swing—then missed three times from just a few feet out. His mood shifted instantly.
That’s when the scene started to unravel. A man lifted his phone and started recording while others shuffled around without much direction. A few people leaned in like they didn’t want to miss anything, while others looked unsure where to stand. One kid even tried to help him by repositioning the ball.
After the final try, a visibly frustrated Trump motioned for a man dressed in black to take his place. The moment sparked doubts, with onlookers questioning the golf skills of someone who lives on a course.
An IG Threads user clowned him by writing, “Dude who spends every waking hour on the golf course…can’t hit a 10 foot putt in front of a couple of 8 year olds?”
When Trump is not at the White House or delivering public remarks from a podium, he can be found on his golf course in Mar-a-Lago.
More people criticized him. One person commented, “He had to get that other guy to pick up the golf ball for him,” after noticing DeChambeau hitting a ball back at Trump.
Another person implied that Trump was missing his good luck charm, writing, “The guy that helps him cheating was not there.”
People also noticed the lack of diversity among the children invited to interact with Trump. An observer asked, “I guess black and brown kids aren’t into physical fitness?” Another on Instagram said, “OMG he makes me sick.”
The guy that helps him cheating was not there…😂 https://t.co/TYeHIegYHV
— Jorge Martins (@Jorge_MartinsPT) May 5, 2026
The Republican politician ultimately accepted his defeat by handing off the club to Player. Trump gave the athlete an encouraging tap on the shoulder as he stepped up to show the kids how pros sink a putt.
Sadly, the showman never ceases to orchestrate attempts to outshine champions. In April, Trump hosted the 2025 NCAA Division 1 men’s golf champions, Oklahoma State University Cowboys, at the White House.
He wanted to fit in, so he mimed a golf swing, pulling everyone’s attention to a portrait on the wall. The image shows Trump rising after his ear was wounded during an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.
Trump is out golfing with Tiger Woods ahead of the Super Bowl tonight pic.twitter.com/PZr3Wz4b56
— RT (@RT_com) February 9, 2025
Delusions of grandeur seem contagious among the Trump family. His granddaughter, Kai Trump, committed to the University of Miami earlier this year. She will join the women’s golf team in the fall.
Her mother, Vanessa Trump, is dating Tiger Woods, who gave the teen pointers for her LPGA debut in November 2025. Around that same time, Kai suggested her grandfather uses “tricks” to win golf matches — it’s clear the public agreed he has never scored an honest victory on or off the course.
