MEDINAH, Ill. — As other presidents have done before him, U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the Presidents Cup on Sunday at Medinah Country Club. Beyond making a ceremonial appearance on the first tee or handing out the trophy, however, Trump reportedly requested that he get some time to address the players and crowd.
According to a report on Saturday by Golfweek, citing multiple sources, Trump asked the PGA Tour for 15 minutes to speak before the start of play on Sunday.
A tour spokesperson told Golf Digest that the tour could only confirm that it is preparing for a possible visit by Trump. Golfweek said the White House had not returned a request for comment.
On Saturday, Trump was attending the SEC football game between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee in Knoxville.
Trump is serving as honorary chairman of the Presidents Cup for the second time, having held the position in 2017 at Liberty National in New Jersey during his first term in office. In serving twice, he joins only President Barack Obama, who was honorary chairman for 2009 and 2013. Dating back to the beginning of the Presidents Cup in 1994, presidents Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Joe Biden have served in the role.
“The Presidents Cup has a proud tradition of engaging world leaders from across the globe and across political lines, and President Trump’s involvement continues that legacy,” PGA Tour CEO and commissioner Brian Rolapp said in a statement upon the original announcement that Trump would be honorary chairman again in 2026. “His participation will help elevate the event on the international stage while furthering our mission of bringing people together through the game of golf.”
Last fall, Trump attended the first day of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Long Island, but did not speak publicly. He arrived with granddaughter Kai Trump to a mixed welcome at the first tee and also led the crowd in chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” Trump then settled into his seat behind heavy glass.
Earlier this week, American player and two-time U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark said he thought Trump’s presence at Medinah would be “pretty amazing.”
“Being an American and having the president of the United States coming to watch you play golf is something that as a kid you don’t ever imagine or fathom happening,” Clark said.
Another American player, Xander Schauffele, was asked what it means for him to play in front of the president, and he broke into a grin.
“I’m sure Secret Service wasn’t pumped that he made an early announcement on where he’s going to be,” Schauffele said to laughter. “But they’ll do a nice job to keep him safe. But, yeah, it’s awesome that our president loves golf and supports USA.”