Donald Trump leaves press pool behind to golf in Florida
President-elect Donald Trump left his press pool behind Saturday afternoon, traveling from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, to play a round of golf at his club in Jupiter.
Transition aide Stephanie Grisham confirmed Mr. Trump’s whereabouts to the traveling press pool later that day. The Associated Press first reported on the president-elect’s movements, and Grisham, according to pool reports, said she was not aware Mr. Trump had left for Jupiter until she was contacted by the news outlet.
“We are in the home stretch of this transition period and don’t anticipate any additional situations like this between now and inauguration,” Grisham said in a statement to the AP. “We hope this one incident doesn’t negate all the progress we have made and look forward to continuing the great relationships we have built.”
A member of the Trump Jupiter National Golf Club posted a photo to Twitter of Mr. Trump on the course, saying he was accompanied by about 25 Secret Service agents.
President out with about 25 Secret Service, he can play and would beat Obama at golf as well pic.twitter.com/PnG4jGDozL
— Dr. Eric Kaplan (@drekaplan) December 31, 2016
This isn’t the first time Mr. Trump has bucked the usual protocol of allowing journalists to follow him at all times, typically permitted to guarantee that the public would be kept apprised of his movements.
As president-elect, he ditched reporters to have dinner with his family in Manhattan in mid-November, and on the campaign trail he occasionally left behind his press contingent when traveling to rallies.
Typically, the president will travel with a group of reporters when out of the White House. Accounts from journalists are often the first to provide the president’s immediate comments in the case of breaking news.
Mr. Trump’s inauguration will take place next month, on Jan. 20.