For the seventh time in the Presidents Cup's history, a sitting or former American president has accepted the role of honorary chairman — this time, Donald Trump, who will preside over the September 2026 tournament at Medinah Country Club near Chicago. The gesture is less about politics than about a long-standing tradition in professional golf of inviting world leaders to stand beside the sport, lending it gravity and reach across partisan and national divides. Trump, who held the same role in 2017, returns to a ceremony that asks its participants to represent something larger than themselves
Trump Named Honorary Chairman of 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah
Both teams are loaded with talent
Mark
So Trump's done this before—what was the 2017 event like?
Mimi
He was honorary chairman then too, at Liberty National in New Jersey. The U.S. Team won pretty decisively, 19-11, and he presented the trophy.
Luke
That's a ceremonial role, right? Not decision-making?
Mimi
Correct. It's symbolic—the PGA Tour uses it to connect the sport to sitting or former leaders. Trump would be the seventh president to hold it.
Mark
Why emphasize the "across political lines" language from the tour?
Mimi
Because the tour is trying to frame this as apolitical—just a tradition of honoring world leaders, regardless of party.
Luke
But is that framing accurate? Has every president actually been invited, or is this selective?
Mimi
The source doesn't say. We know seven have held the role, but we don't know if others were asked and declined, or if the tour has always extended the invitation.
Mark
What's Trump's actual involvement going to be?
Mimi
Based on 2017, he'll likely present the trophy if the U.S. wins. He said he looks forward to greeting the athletes.
Luke
And if the U.S. loses?
Mimi
The source doesn't specify. We only know what happened in 2017, when the U.S. won.
O Pulso
- A sitting president's name attached to a major golf tournament carries symbolic weight that the PGA Tour has deliberately cultivated across seven administrations and decades of play.
- Trump's appointment reignites familiar tensions around his presence in high-profile cultural institutions, even as the Tour frames the role as one that transcends political identity.
- PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp moved quickly to anchor the announcement in tradition, emphasizing that the honorary chairmanship has always reached across the political spectrum and around the globe.
- Trump himself amplified the news on Truth Social and through the White House's X account, signaling that both the sport and the presidency see mutual benefit in the association.
- With Brandt Snedeker and Geoff Ogilvy captaining their respective 12-man squads, the competitive stakes are high — and Trump's expected role in the trophy ceremony gives the moment a familiar theatrical gravity.
For the seventh time in the Presidents Cup's history, a sitting or former American president has accepted the role of honorary chairman — this time, Donald Trump, who will preside over the September 2026 tournament at Medinah Country Club near Chicago. The gesture is less about politics than about a long-standing tradition in professional golf of inviting world leaders to stand beside the sport, lending it gravity and reach across partisan and national divides. Trump, who held the same role in 2017, returns to a ceremony that asks its participants to represent something larger than themselves — the idea that competition, at its best, can be a form of common ground.
Donald Trump will serve as honorary chairman of the 2026 Presidents Cup, the PGA Tour announced, making him the seventh U.S. president — sitting or former — to hold the position. The tournament runs September 22-27 at Medinah Country Club near Chicago, and it marks Trump's second time in the role; he last held it in 2017 at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey, where he presented the trophy after the U.S. Team's decisive victory over the International Team.
The honorary chairmanship has become one of professional golf's quiet traditions, a way of connecting the sport to the broader world of leadership and statecraft. Trump joins a line that includes Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Gerald Ford — a roster that spans generations and political affiliations alike.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp framed Trump's involvement as a continuation of that nonpartisan spirit, noting that the Presidents Cup has always sought to engage world leaders from across the political spectrum. He suggested Trump's participation would help elevate the tournament's international profile and reinforce golf's role as a unifying force.
Trump confirmed his acceptance on Truth Social, expressing enthusiasm for the talent assembled on both the U.S. and International sides and saying he looked forward to meeting the athletes. The White House echoed the announcement on X. He is expected to participate in trophy presentation ceremonies, as he did nearly a decade ago — with Brandt Snedeker captaining the American team and Australian Geoff Ogilvy leading the International squad.
Donald Trump has accepted a role as honorary chairman for the 2026 Presidents Cup, the PGA Tour announced on Saturday. The tournament will run September 22-27 at Medinah Country Club near Chicago, marking the second time Trump has held the position. He previously served in the same capacity during the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey, where he presented the trophy after the U.S. Team defeated the International Team 19-11.
The honorary chairman role carries historical weight within professional golf. Trump is now the seventh sitting or former U.S. president to accept the position, joining Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Gerald Ford. The PGA Tour has long used the role to connect the sport with world leaders, framing it as part of a broader tradition that transcends partisan lines.
Brian Rolapp, the PGA Tour's CEO, framed Trump's involvement in those terms. He noted that the Presidents Cup has maintained a practice of engaging world leaders from across the globe and across the political spectrum, and that Trump's participation continues that established pattern. Rolapp added that Trump's involvement would help raise the tournament's international profile while advancing the tour's stated mission of using golf as a vehicle for bringing people together.
Trump confirmed his acceptance through Truth Social, writing that he was honored to take on the role at the request of Rolapp and the tour. He described the upcoming event as particularly exciting, noting that both the U.S. and International teams would be loaded with talent. He said he looked forward to greeting the athletes from both sides. The White House later shared Trump's statement on X.
The 2026 tournament will pit a 12-man U.S. Team against a 12-man International Team. Brandt Snedeker will captain the American side, while Australian Geoff Ogilvy will lead the International squad. As honorary chairman, Trump is expected to participate in trophy presentation ceremonies, following the precedent he set in 2017.
Citações Notáveis
The Presidents Cup has a proud tradition of engaging world leaders from across the globe and across political lines, and President Trump's involvement continues that legacy.— Brian Rolapp, PGA Tour CEO
Both teams are 'loaded' with Talent. I look forward to being there, and greeting all of these fantastic athletes, on both teams!— Donald Trump, via Truth Social
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