What Donald Trump Snacks On During Golf Rounds

Donald Trump makes sure there's a stash of processed food at places and events he frequents. A special, "poison" bowl of candy lurks near the Oval Office, filled with Starburst, Tootsie Rolls, and other sugary treats. Then there's the burger he'll sneak in before a fancy state dinner. It's no surprise, then, that Trump pairs golf, one of his signature activities, with a popular fast food. While they don't get the same publicity as his consumption of Big Macs and Diet Coke, hot dogs are Trump's preferred snack during golf rounds. In a Daily Beast podcast episode titled "Inside Trump's Head," journalist Michael Wolff revealed that Trump scarfs down two hot dogs on the green — and that allegedly, each one "goes in all at once." According to the golf tracking site, Did Trump Golf Today?, the president visited golf clubs one quarter of the days in the first year of his second term.  

As is often the case with Trump's fast food fixation, his affinity for hot dogs has surfaced on numerous occasions over the years. During an online feud with actor Samuel L. Jackson in 2016, a tweet from actor Anthony Anderson mentioned Trump snacking on hot dogs and shrimp. A photo posted to Instagram in 2024 shows him ordering a hot dog at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. Then there's the Instagram reel of granddaughter, Kai Trump, asking the president his favorite snack as they cruise the green in a golf cart. "On a golf course? Hot dog is good." Trump mused.

Like other sports, golf pairs well with hot dogs. Except here, the players eat. The ritual is so ingrained in the game that there's actually a term for it — hot dog at the turn. This refers to a finger food break halfway through the game, generally after the ninth hole. Thus, Donald Trump's golf glizzies are par for the course. 

Condiment preferences are a real sticking point for hot dog fans, and for the president, only mustard will do. In a TikTok featuring golfer Bryson DeChambeau eating a hot dog with only ketchup, Trump, who stood beside him at the concession stand, called him "a different kind of a guy." 

In another instance in 2021, talk show host Michael Savage of "The Savage Nation" shared hot dogs with Trump aboard Air Force One. The Commander in Chief was served two hot dogs and offered one to Savage, along with the mustard that came alongside it. The talk show host also noted that Trump ate his using a fork and knife. This harks back to the bizarre way he eats pizza, using cutlery to feast on the cheese and toppings without the crust. Eating a hot dog with cutlery could be a way to eat it neatly, but there are other ways to minimize the mess of eating a hot dog, like putting ketchup (or, in Trump's case, mustard) directly on the bun under the frank.