Trump Continues Golf Banter with Biden During Thanksgiving Call
In a lighthearted moment during his Thanksgiving call with military members, President Donald Trump revisited his ongoing golf rivalry with former President Joe Biden. When asked by a petty officer about his “true golf handicap” and whether the two presidents would ever face off on the course, Trump eagerly jumped at the topic, showcasing both his competitive spirit and his penchant for playful political jabs.
“I’ve invited him, but he doesn’t want to show up,” Trump responded with characteristic confidence. The golf challenge has been simmering since their June presidential debate, after which Trump publicly offered to donate $1 million to charity if Biden could defeat him. Trump took the opportunity to highlight his own golfing credentials, claiming he’s won 38 club championships throughout his life and even secured a victory against a 27-year-old competitor last year. “The fairway doesn’t know how old you are as you walk up the middle and he’s in the rough,” Trump quipped, suggesting his experience compensates for any age disadvantage. While he didn’t specify his exact handicap, Trump described himself as “right around scratch or better,” indicating he typically shoots close to par.
The golf rivalry represents more than just athletic competition—it has become a recurring theme in Trump’s public comments about Biden since their debate. In July, while hitting balls on a driving range alongside LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau, Trump couldn’t resist comparing his drive to Biden’s abilities: “You think Joe Biden can do that?” This followed Trump’s skepticism about Biden’s claimed handicap, with Trump asserting, “He said he’s a six. I said, ‘You’re not a 60.’ He’s not a 60,” before offering his million-dollar challenge if Biden could break 100 on the course. These comments reflect a pattern of using athletic performance as a metaphor for leadership capability, a rhetorical approach Trump has employed throughout his political career.
During the Thanksgiving call, Trump continued to question Biden’s golfing abilities with unmistakable hyperbole. “Biden can’t hit a ball 30 yards. I’m telling you, I looked at his swing,” Trump declared to the military member on the call. This statement followed a pattern established months earlier when a video of Biden’s golf swing went viral, prompting Trump to contrast it with his own performance: “Did you get to see my drive on the first hole? Pretty long, pretty long. That’s no Joe Biden, let me tell you.” These playful taunts about athletic performance have become a recurring element in Trump’s post-presidential commentary.
Trump’s fascination with golf extends beyond just casual remarks. His businesses include numerous golf courses worldwide, and the sport has long been intertwined with both his personal identity and his approach to business relationships. Golf represents a space where Trump has found both recreation and status throughout his career in real estate and entertainment, long before entering politics. The sport has often served as a backdrop for his business negotiations and now provides fertile ground for political commentary. In challenging Biden to a match, Trump draws on the long tradition of golf as a venue for relationship-building among political and business leaders.
The Thanksgiving exchange ended with Trump reiterating his disbelief at Biden’s claimed handicap, saying it was “the only thing that made me angry” during their debate. “He said he was a six. I said, you’re not a six. And he said, well, I’m an eight. I said, that was quick. I picked up two, but he’s not 100.” Trump concluded his golf commentary by calling it “a great game” and expressing hope that the military members on the call would get to enjoy playing it themselves. The good-natured rivalry over golf scores, while seemingly trivial, reflects the personal dimension that often underlies political relationships in American public life—where competition and camaraderie can sometimes coexist, even between fierce political opponents.
