Finnish President Alexander Stubb has emerged as an important bridge between the United States and Europe because of his and President Donald Trump’s shared love of golf.
Stubb fields frequent late-night calls and texts from Trump, according to the Wall Street Journal. They talk about Russia, which shares a land border with Finland, but also discuss chipping, driving, and putting.
President Donald Trump (second to left) and Finnish President Alexander Stubb (center) have bonded over their shared love of golf. They are pictured here alongside Trey Gowdy, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and Gary Player. Lindsey Graham/X
Their friendship blossomed after the two played golf together at Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach in March, where they were joined by Sen. Lindsey Graham, former South Carolina Republican Congressman turned Fox News star Trey Gowdy, and South African golf legend Gary Player.
“I just played a round of Golf with Alexander Stubb, president of Finland. He is a very good player,” the MAGA chief mused, claiming victory at the Men’s Member-Guest Golf Tournament, according to the Palm Beach Post.
“President Trump was awesome! Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who played golf at Furman University, was amazing,” Graham wrote alongside a photo of the men grinning and holding trophies.
Trump even gifted Stubb a new set of clubs to replace the 20-year-old set he brought with him.
Center-right conservative Stubb spent summers in the U.S. and Canada as a young man and studied at Furman University in South Carolina, with aspirations of becoming a professional golfer. He and Graham developed a personal connection before Graham introduced him to Trump.
When they met for a drink at a security conference in Munich in February, Graham suggested they call up the president. “Alex used to play golf at Furman,” he told Trump, who then suggested he and Stubb play together.
Stubb has become a diplomatic conduit for European leaders and U.S. lawmakers alike. WPA Pool/Getty Images
During the resulting game, Stubb—who has previously said he doesn’t “like” Trump and questioned his “behavior”—discussed Finland’s history with Russia, pressed Trump for a firm stance on Ukraine, and cautioned him against siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin. When Trump asked if he could trust Putin, Stubb replied flatly, “You cannot.”
Hold your horses…Finnish National Golf Team around 1989…Those were the days…And yes, at the time it was a bit like being in the English Ice-Hockey squad…Both have moved on since. #nostalgia pic.twitter.com/DrV5PFZ0kX
— Alexander Stubb (@alexstubb) June 24, 2020
Since that meeting, Stubb has become a point of contact for European leaders and U.S. officials seeking to influence Trump’s policy positions, the Journal reported.
According to Stubb, his texts with Trump cover everything from upcoming golf tournaments to key international negotiations. Crucially, he has the ear of Trump as the U.S. president prepares for a summit with Putin in Alaska on Friday.
European diplomats have joked that they sometimes hear updates from Trump via Stubb rather than directly from Washington.
The Finnish president has even been tasked with briefing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump and Stubb discuss international relations as well as golf in late-night texts and phone calls. Dylan Martinez/REUTERS
In July, Zelensky publicly thanked Stubb for facilitating communications with Trump after his Oval Office showdown with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February.
Even U.S. lawmakers have relied on Stubb to convey information, asking him to relay changes to sanctions legislation after Trump expressed reservations, the Journal reports.
Speaking to the Journal earlier this year, Stubb recalled advice from his father, who told him that golf would prove useful even if he didn’t turn pro.
“I thought [my father] was just telling me I’d never be good enough,” Stubb said. “When I played with Trump, he sent me a message: ‘Told you so.’”
Asked in 2018 whether he would prefer to play gold with Trump or Putin, Stubb replied, “Trump. Putin doesn’t play golf, as far as I know.”
