Since Donald Trump’s time in office, the United States Department of Justice has intensified its investigation into his handling of classified documents. What does this have to do golf?
A New York Times report states that the DOJ, as part of the larger investigation, has subpoenaed records from the Trump Organization regarding LIV Golf. This includes President Trump’s connections to this upstart circuit, which is financially supported by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Trump National Bedminster hosted an event in LIV Golf’s first season last year. In 2023, the properties, along with his Potomac Falls, Virginia resort, located outside Washington, D.C., will host events again.
The prosecutors may be looking at certain aspects of the Trump family business.
A group of 9/11 survivors and their families criticized the former president for hosting LIV Golf only a few miles away from New York City.
“I have known these people in Saudi Arabia for a very long time, and they’ve always been my friends,” explained Trump before last year’s Trump National Bedminster event. They’ve invested heavily in American companies and own large percentages of a number of American firms. What they’re doing to promote golf is amazing.
Trump, a native of New York City, made his comments just days after 9/11 survivors and victims sent him a letter criticizing the former president’s hosting the Saudi-funded show. The letter was filled with “extreme frustration, anger and pain” and included a quote of Trump’s 2016 comments about the 9/11 terrorist attacks in a Fox & Friends segment:
“… Who blew the World Trade Center up? It was not the Iraqis, but Saudi Arabia. Look at Saudi Arabia. Open the documents. Open the documents.
Brett Eagleson, a 9/11 Justice advocate, said to CNN in 2016, “The former president correctly speculated that Saudi Arabia had knocked down those towers, and now the FBI released documents to prove his right.” “Yet, he chooses money over America.” So much for America First. A sad day.”
LIV Golf is a sport that has been criticised for years as a way to “sportswashe” the Kingdom’s human rights record. Saudi Arabia is accused of a wide range of human rights violations, including torture, political killings, forced disappearances, and inhumane treatment for prisoners. Saudi Arabia’s royal family, as well as the Saudi government, were accused of being involved in the murder Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi was a Saudi columnist and journalist who worked for the Washington Post.
According to reports, the DOJ is also investigating the PGA Tour in relation to possible antitrust violations by LIV Golf.
LIV Golf will be hosted by Trump National Washington D.C. on May 26-28. LIV will next visit Trump National Bedminster from August 11-13 and then return to Trump National Doral on October 20-22. The LIV Golf Season ends in King Abdullah Economic City (Saudi Arabia) on Nov. 3 – 5.
