Now in Year 2 of the Trump presidency, some of his travel patterns have become a little more predictable and are an expected part of how he moves around the east coast of the country. We know he likes to go to Mar-a-Lago in Florida in the winter for weekend getaways and golf, and now we know he should be expected to spend a good chunk of each August at his Bedminster, New Jersey, country club.
For the second year in a row, President Trump has blocked off most of the first half of August to be at Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey, where Trump has a home in a customized condo just off the pool area, not too far from club members who are swimming. Trump often spends his mornings playing golf, then does work as President, then dines in the evenings with invited guests or club members in the clubhouse area. Trump has a bit of a receiving line for his paying members, many of whom he has known for years before his political career.
In 2017, Trump took two weeks' leave from the White House while it underwent renovations, going to New Jersey to conduct a variety of business. This year, the White House isn't undergoing any summertime redecorating. Rather, it just seems Trump likes getting out of the White House and into a more comfortable setting.
The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared airspace in the Bedminster area from August 2-13, meaning Trump will be in the area or is expected to spend some portion of the day at his golf club for that period. While he may not play golf every day, particularly as he travels to a variety of political rallies for Republican candidates in various races ahead of primary elections, he will still be considered at his golf property that day.
Prior to his August golf club vacation, Trump had spent some portion of 135 days of his presidency on the golf course, with 134 of those days coming at a Trump-owned golf club in northern Virginia, New Jersey or Florida in the United States, or in Scotland at Trump Turnberry. He spent one day in Japan playing golf with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. On this vacation so far, Trump has played golf with South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who has become a regular golf partner of Trump among the political class. We don't otherwise know when Trump plays golf or with who, as it is White House policy not to divulge this information.
At the end of his vacation, Trump will have spent 147 days of his presidency at a golf course of some kind, putting him on a Trump-owned golf course for at least some portion of 25.6 percent of his presidency.
