Donald Trump has been pictured going golfing for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak started ramping up on US soil - but failed ...
Donald Trump has been pictured going golfing for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak started ramping up on US soil - but failed to practice social distancing with his golf buddies.
The president enjoyed a leisurely start to Memorial Day weekend as he arrived at his Trump National Golf Club in Virginia Saturday for a round on the course.
Concerns about the national health crisis which has so far killed more than 96,000 Americans seemed to be a distant memory for Trump as he shunned social distancing guidelines.
The president, who has repeatedly refused to wear a face mask despite CDC recommendations, was seen once again mask-less and flouting social distancing requirements to stay six feet from other people by shaking hands with a fellow mask-less golfer.
Donald Trump has been pictured going golfing for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak began. The president was seen once again mask-less and flouting social distancing requirements by shaking hands with a fellow golfer Saturday
This comes despite White House doctor Dr. Deborah Birx telling Americans they can enjoy the game - and other sports - over Memorial Day weekend as long as they social distance.
Dressed in a white golf shirt, white cap and dark trousers, Trump waved at cameras as he played on the course.
He was also seen practising his swing before getting into a golf buggy and driving across the course.
Trump had been spotted arriving with his motorcade at the club at around 10:30a.m. Saturday.
He was later seen arriving back at the White House following the game.
Dressed in a white golf shirt, white cap and dark trousers, Trump waved at cameras as he played on the course
The president enjoyed a leisurely start to Memorial Day weekend as he arrived at his Trump National Golf Club in Virginia Saturday for a round on the course
He was also seen practising his swing before getting into a golf buggy and driving across the course
The visit marked Trump's first game on one of his private courses in 75 days, when he was last believed to have played at his Palm Beach club on March 8.
It was during this visit to his Mar-a-Lago resort that he hosted several Brazilian officials, and one tested positive for coronavirus soon after.
This is the longest duration he has gone without visiting one of his clubs since becoming president, according to NBC News, which calculated he has visited his own properties on more than 400 days or around a third of his term.
Trump has complained on more than one occasion that he has missed playing the sport during the pandemic.
'I'd really like to play golf but it's too busy right now,' he said earlier this month.
He also called into an NBC PGA special last weekend and said he hadn't started since 'this problem' began.
Trump has complained on more than one occasion that he has missed playing the sport during the pandemic
The visit marked Trump's first game on one of his private courses in 75 days, when he was last believed to have played at his Palm Beach club on March 8
Trump returns to the White House after Saturday's game
'I do miss it. I haven't played, really, since this problem that we have started. I haven't been able to play golf for a while. I've been very busy, and I think that it's just one of those things, but we're getting back to normal,' he said.
Dr Birx said during Friday's White House briefing that people could play golf and other activities over the weekend - often seen as the unofficial start of summer - but cautioned people to keep complying with social distancing.
'Please, as you go out this weekend, understand that you can be outside and you can play golf, and you can play tennis with marked balls,' she said.
'You can go to the beaches if you stay six feet apart. But remember that is your space. And that is the space you need to protect to ensure you are social distancing for others.'
On Friday, Trump bowed to pressure from the Democrats to fly flags at half-staff at the White House, the Capitol and the National Mall to mark the start of three days of commemoration of the victims of coronavirus over Memorial Day weekend.
This comes as the US death toll continued to soar, reaching 96,479 Saturday and cases topped 1.6 million.
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