The Price Of Playing

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TURNBERRY, SCOTLAND - JULY 15: U.S. President Donald Trump waves whilst playing a round of golf at Trump Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort during the U.S. President's first official visit to the United Kingdom on July 15, 2018 in Turnberry, Scotland. The President of the United States and First Lady, Melania Trump on their first official visit to the UK after yesterday's meetings with the Prime Minister and the Queen is in Scotland for private weekend stay at his Turnberry. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

When Donald Trump plays golf, it’s not just him and three partners.  It takes a massive Secret Service detail to follow Trump’s travails on the links.  We got a peek today at just how massive.   Government Executive is reporting:

The Secret Service has allocated more than $90,000 for golf cart rentals in South Florida this winter, ostensibly to protect president Donald Trump while he hits the links.

That’s tax dollars for golf cart rental at Donald Trump’s own club.  And that’s just through June.

“In September, TMZ reported that golf cart rentals at Trump’s U.S. clubs have so far cost taxpayers $300,675. When and if the latest contract is fully paid out, it will bring Trump’s golf cart rental expenses up to nearly $400,000 since he took office—an apparent modern record in such a short period of time, based on past presidential expenditures.”

But the bill is actually much larger than that.  Trump has reportedly played golf 154 times since taking office.  Trump’s total golf expenses (travel, Secret Service, etc>) are actually $77 million.

TURNBERRY, SCOTLAND – JULY 15: U.S. President Donald Trump plays a round of golf at Trump Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort during the U.S. President’s first official visit to the United Kingdom on July 15, 2018 in Turnberry, Scotland.  (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Which reminds us of this tweet which haven’t aged well.

“I’m going to be working for you, I’m not going to have time to go play golf.” -Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Virginia,  August 8, 2016.

If you’d like to keep tabs on President Trump’s golf outings, you can go here.