Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made a blunt comment recently, saying she would rather see Donald Trump on a golf course than inside the Oval Office. She made these remarks while speaking with reporter Pablo ManrÃquez at the Capitol. The conversation touched on Trump’s frequent golf trips, happening even as the country deals with an ongoing military situation in Iran, currently under a ceasefire.
When asked about Trump’s work habits while prices are rising and military tensions remain high, Ocasio-Cortez gave a direct answer. “Obviously, it’s awful that this guy’s playing golf, but in a way, we’re already seeing that some of the most important military decisionmakers in the country are trying to keep him out of consequential decisions,” she said.
According to Mediaite, she then added, “So, in some ways, you kind of want this guy on a golf course more than you want him in the Oval Office.” She also raised the question of the 25th Amendment. “But that also calls into question the 25th Amendment, because… if the determination is that Donald Trump cannot be trusted in the Situation Room and in unfolding scenarios, then he’s not fit to be president,” she said.
Trump’s golf trips have already cost taxpayers over $100 million, and the bill keeps growing
Under Section 4 of the amendment, the president’s powers can be removed if the vice president and a majority of the cabinet agree he cannot perform his duties, which would make Vice President JD Vance the acting president. Rep. Jamie Raskin recently filed a bill to create a commission to assess presidential fitness, though passing it would be very difficult given Republican control of both houses.
Trump’s golf outings are also drawing attention because of how much they cost the public. HuffPost revealed that his golf habit has cost taxpayers at least $101.2 million in travel and security expenses since returning to office. That figure is already two-thirds of what he spent on golf during his entire first term, and if he keeps up this pace, the total could reach $300 million by the end of his second term.
His recent visit to his West Palm Beach course was his 56th trip there since his 2025 inauguration, bringing his total to 110 days on a golf course in just over 14 months. That means Trump has spent more than one-quarter of his days since returning to the White House playing golf.
Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said, “At a time when gas prices are spiking and Americans across the country find themselves in an ever-worsening affordability crisis, the president has burned through over $100 million in taxpayer money in order to make promotional appearances at his golf courses and hobnob with millionaires and billionaires.”
The costs behind each trip are significant. Mar-a-Lago is the most expensive stop, averaging $3.4 million per visit due to heavy security that includes Coast Guard ships and armed law enforcement vessels on the water. Even trips to Bedminster, New Jersey, cost around $1.1 million each.
A bombshell WSJ report revealed that aides kept Trump out of the Situation Room because they felt he would not be helpful, which adds weight to AOC’s comments about keeping him away from key decisions. The White House has begun calling these outings “executive time,” but when asked to explain what that means, the press office simply said, “Executive time refers to executive time.”
Adding more context, Trump was openly critical of his predecessor’s golf outings before his 2016 election. He now spends far more on these trips than past presidents, largely because he visits his own properties rather than closer, cheaper options like Joint Base Andrews.
Flying the modified Boeing 747 used for presidential travel costs $273,063 per hour, which means each trip adds up quickly. In another unusual story from inside the White House, reports surfaced that Trump asked staff about awarding himself the Medal of Honor and is said to still be seriously considering it.
Whether these concerns lead to any formal steps regarding Trump’s fitness for office is still unclear, but the debate is clearly growing as both the costs and his time away from the White House continue to increase.
Published: Apr 21, 2026 12:45 pm