Trump played in the summer heat with his son, Eric, and fellow LIV golfers Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson. The president, who is an avid fan of the sport, has made several statements in support of the newly established LIV Golf Tour, which is sponsored by Saudi promoters. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, he said the tournament was a great investment for the country, bringing a lot of publicity. “I think LIV has been a great thing for Saudi Arabia, for the image of Saudi Arabia,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be an incredible investment in that sense, and that’s more valuable than a lot of other things because you can’t buy it — even with billions of dollars.” LIV Golf has faced significant criticism from advocacy groups who claim the new league looks like a “sports wash” and that the Saudi government is trying to wash its image and reputation with the new golf league. The National Press Club condemned LIV Golf and Trump in a statement. “That the tournament is being held on a course owned by former President Trump is, if possible, even more outrageous,” the statement read. “It reminds us that the former President bragged about distracting Congress from the assassination by delaying the release of the US government’s final report which concluded that MBS, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia (and the recipient of a punch from the President Biden) was likely involved in planning and authorizing Jamal’s assassination.” Two of LIV Golf’s 12 events are scheduled to be held at Trump properties, including this week in Bedminster and an event in October in Miami.
