The PGA of America refuses comments on Trump's racist tweets despite his club hosting '22 PGA Championship
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The PGA of America refuses comments on Trump’s racist tweets despite his club hosting ’22 PGA Championship

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President Donald Trump continues to receive rightful criticism for a series of tweets made over the weekend, seemingly targeting four Democratic Congresswomen that have dubbed themselves The Squad.

All four of the representatives are women of color and, as the Constitution requires of representatives, American citizens. However, Trump tweeted the Congresswomen should "go back to" where they came from -- which, with the exception of Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who was born in Somalia and came to the United States when she was 12, is the United States.

Republicans have largely been silent on Trump's tweets, with just a few condemning them. House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi has scheduled a symbolic vote on July 16, with a resolution to condemn Trump's tweets, forcing Republicans to either go on the record supporting the President or condemning him.

Meanwhile, the PGA of America is just three years away from bringing the PGA Championship to a Trump-owned property. Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. will host the 2022 PGA Championship, a decision announced in 2014 before Trump entered politics. This championship is the final part of a package of two events Trump-owned courses announced, including the 2017 Senior PGA Championship.

Asked by the Washington Post to respond to Trump's recent tweets, the PGA of America offered a non-response response.

The PGA of America has more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals. Of those 28,000-plus members, approximately 0.6 percent are African-American and 4.2 percent are women.

The PGA of America was heavily criticized for going forward with hosting the '17 Senior PGA at the President's property, particularly after the organization pulled the now-defunct PGA Grand Slam of Golf and PGA Junior League Golf Championship from Trump National Golf Club near Los Angeles in 2015 after then-candidate Trump made remarks concerning Mexican immigrants.

In announcing the change, the PGA of America then also declined to directly condemn Trump's incendiary remarks.

"The PGA of America met with Donald J. Trump yesterday and the parties mutually agreed that it is in the best interest of all not to conduct the 2015 PGA Grand Slam of Golf at Trump National Los Angeles," the PGA said in its release in 2015. "The PGA of America is in the process of exploring options, including a venue for its annual PGA Junior League Golf Championship, and will comment further at the appropriate time."

Even if the PGA of America publicly condemned Trump's remarks, it's unclear what recourse the organization would have to consider breaking the deal with the Trump Organization. There could be some language that would give both parties a chance to exit early, but the likelihood of a protracted legal fight could deter the PGA of America from pursuing a relatively sudden change in venue.

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is the founder, owner and operator of Golf News Net.

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