- Trump was filmed at Turnberry golf course appearing to improve his ball lie near a bunker
- He played 18 holes with his son Eric and US Ambassador Warren Stephens during the visit
- Sports writer Rick Reilly called Trump the worst cheat on the golf course in a 2019 interview
US President Donald Trump was in Scotland over the weekend, where he played golf at his Trump Turnberry golf course. But social media users soon got hold of a clip that appears to show the American leader cheating in the sport he claims to love-- the latest in a long line of cheating accusations against the 79-year-old on the golf course.
A now-viral video, recorded during Trump's Saturday round, shows Trump arriving at a bunker in a cart. He is followed by a caddie in a red vest, who was purportedly seen tossing a ball into the light rough near a bunker, just short of the sand trap. The move seemed to improve the American president's lie before he exited his golf cart.
Trump reportedly played 18 holes with his son Eric and US Ambassador Warren Stephens at Turnberry during the trip that included trade talks with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.
The latest controversy adds to sports writer Rick Reilly's claim that "Trump is the worst cheat ever" on the golf course. The former Sports Illustrated columnist, who wrote the book titled "Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump", said in a 2019 interview that the Republican would "cheat you on the course and then buy you lunch."
Reilly, who reportedly played the self-regulated sport with Trump, had called the President a habitual manipulator. "I always say golf is like bicycle shorts. It reveals a lot about a man. And golf reveals a lot of ugliness in this president," he said, according to a report by The Guardian.
Neither the President nor the White House have issued any statement on the renewed 'cheating' allegations yet.
The clip also divided social media users, with several accusing Trump of cheating while others joking about his focus on golf amid trade negotiations.
"Trump caught cheating at golf, watch the second guy in the red vest toss a ball behind him," one X user wrote.
"Watch his caddy drop the ball in a more favourable location for him. First, he cheated on his wife with children, and now he's cheating at golf. What low will he not stoop to?" another person wrote.
"Trump working hard to bring down grocery prices," a third person quipped.
The US President's fairness in the port he claims to love has long been questioned, with veterans like Mick Mulvaney noting his competitive edge. The Turnberry incident, while not conclusive proof of cheating, adds to scrutiny over his sportsmanship.
