One of Donald Trump’s top goons has lost it at a leading golf writer after he accused the president of cheating on the course.
Former Sports Illustrated writer and author of Commander in Cheat Rick Reilly is a longtime critic of Trump’s self-proclaimed golfing prowess, and on Thursday pounced on exposed testimony from Sen. Lindsey Graham suggesting he, too, thinks Trump cheats.
“To all the MAGAs who said I lied in my book about Trump cheating like a three-card money dealer on the golf course,” Reilly said in a post on X. “Sen. Lindsey Graham just said it under oath. ‘You may outdrive him, but you can’t outdrive his caddy.’ Cheat at golf—Cheat at life.”
In a 2024 interview, the author, who wrote the book on Trump’s cheating, told MSNBC that the president, “always gets a turbo-charged golf cart that goes three times as fast as yours, so he’s always 200 yards ahead, and that gives him time to cheat.”
Lindsey Graham confirmed this assertion through his under oath comments from a 2022 secret grand jury regarding the election fraud case. Graham said, “You may outdrive him, but you can’t outdrive his caddy,” in the transcripts published by The New York Times.
In a statement to the Daily Beast, White House communications director Steven Cheung swung back at the writer, who himself has played a round with Trump.
“Rick fantasizes about having a golf game as good as President Trump,” Cheung said. “But instead of putting in the hard work to improve his s--tty game, Rick allows his severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome to completely take over his life. He should seek urgent medical care, and some beginner golf lessons, before it’s too late.”
Trump has been a prolific golfer during both his stints at the White House. On average, Trump played a round every 5.6 days. According to the Trump Golf Tracker, the President has spent 24.9% of his second term golfing, slotting in 90 days on the green in his 362 days in office.
Trump has maintained that he’s won dozens of club championships that Reilly, as well as other seasoned golf vets, believe could be somewhat of an exaggeration.
Golf coach Craig Normansell told the Daily Beast, “He can clearly step up to a ball and strike it, but when it comes to the short game, he looks like he’s going to be found out sooner or later. It certainly doesn’t look like the level of someone who’s won 18 club championships.”
Trump has a history of claiming awards he has not won. On Thursday, he took possession of María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize.
“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated.
Reilly has continued to document Trump’s golf indiscretions during his second term. In a video of Trump golfing, it seemed as if one of his caddies dropped a ball on the green for Trump to strike. Reilly’s commentary on X said pointedly, “So you know, it’s NEVER legal for your caddie to drop a ball.”
