President Donald Trump drew attention online after footage showed him greeting U.S. service members during a weekend visit to his golf property in New Jersey.
In early August, Trump, 80, spent part of the weekend at one of his New Jersey golf clubs, where he met with members of the military after playing a round. Presidential aide Margo Martin shared footage of the encounter online.
The visit followed Trump’s attendance at a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base honoring four U.S. service members killed in the Middle East. After the ceremony, Trump traveled to New Jersey.
In the video, Trump can be seen approaching a group of uniformed service members while still dressed in his golf clothes. He was wearing his red “Make America Great Again” hat and kept a white golf glove on one hand as he shook hands and spoke with the group.
.@POTUS visits with our great military armed forces in NJ 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ee5jqRLfTW
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) August 1, 2026
The golf glove quickly became the focus of discussion on social media.
Some users questioned whether Trump should have removed the glove and hat before greeting the service members, viewing it as a matter of etiquette.
In traditional golf etiquette, removing your glove and hat before a handshake is considered a sign of respect
“With his golf glove on. How disrespectful,” one commenter wrote.
Another questioned whether Trump typically keeps his golf attire on when meeting people away from the course. A third user suggested jokingly that the service members had been brought out to watch Trump play golf.
“How can he look any soldier in the eye knowing he wimped out from military service,” another person wrote, referring to Trump’s history of avoiding military service during the Vietnam War era.
Other reactions were similarly critical, with one person describing the interaction as “classless” and arguing that removing a hat and glove would have been more appropriate when greeting members of the armed forces.
Trump has long been an enthusiastic golfer and regularly visits his golf properties both during official trips and while spending personal time away from Washington.
He has owned and operated golf courses in the United States and abroad for decades. According to a tracker based on the president’s public schedule, Donald Trump has golfed on 125 of the 569 days since returning to office — about 22% of the time.
His interest in the sport dates back to his college years, and he began expanding his golf business in the late 1990s. His portfolio has included properties in the United States, Scotland, Ireland and other locations.
Trump has frequently spoken about his passion for golf. In his 2005 book The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received, he described the sport as “more than a game” and called it “a passion” for millions of people.
Former major champion Jack Nicklaus has also spoken about Trump’s enthusiasm for the sport, saying Trump “loves the game of golf more than he loves money.”
