Trump Accused Of Disrespecting Troops During Interaction With US Service Members
President Donald Trump drew criticism on social media after video showed him meeting with U.S. service members during a weekend golf outing in New Jersey.
The president, 80, spent part of the weekend at one of his New Jersey golf properties, where he interacted with members of the military following his round. Footage of the encounter was shared online by presidential aide Margo Martin.
The golf outing came after Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base to honor four American service members killed in the Middle East. Following the solemn ceremony, the president traveled to New Jersey.
During his meeting with the troops, Trump was dressed in his familiar red “Make America Great Again” hat and remained in his golf attire. He also continued wearing a white golf glove as he greeted the service members.
The decision to keep the glove on quickly became the focus of online criticism.
Some social media users argued that Trump should have removed both the hat and glove before interacting with members of the U.S. military, describing the gesture as a matter of basic etiquette and respect.
“With his golf glove on. How disrespectful,” one commenter wrote.
Another questioned whether Trump routinely keeps his golf gear on when meeting people away from the course.
A third social media user joked that the service members appeared to have been brought out to watch Trump play.
Others were more direct, accusing the president of displaying poor manners during the encounter.
“It’s just classless,” one critic wrote, arguing that a person should remove a hat and golf glove before shaking hands, particularly when meeting members of the armed forces.
Another commenter called the interaction “classless” but added that the behavior was not particularly surprising.
Trump has frequently incorporated golf into his schedule, both during his presidency and outside official duties. The president owns and operates golf properties in the United States and abroad and has regularly been photographed on the course.
The latest controversy comes as Trump’s supporters and critics continue to closely scrutinize even seemingly routine moments involving the president.
While the video showed Trump interacting with military personnel after his round, the online reaction focused less on the meeting itself and more on his appearance and golf attire.
The White House did not immediately indicate whether Trump’s decision to retain his golf glove and hat was intended as a particular gesture or simply reflected the informal setting of the encounter.
