Trump Leverages Iran Strike Deadline to Return to Golf Course, Complaining About Lost Rounds

In Washington this week, President Donald Trump appeared eager to stress the urgency of a possible military option against Iran — even as the deadline he invoked coincided with news of his return to the golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey , following a month-long pause from play.

With geopolitical tensions whipping up across the Middle East, Trump left the G7 summit early Tuesday evening to issue a stark warning to Iran’s leadership and civilian population. He urged people in Tehran to “immediately evacuate” in light of what he described as a potentially imminent strike.

When pressed about whether the U.S. would act, Trump stayed deliberately vague: “I may do it, I may not do it …Nobody knows what I want to do.” Instead, he insisted, “Iran’s got a lot of trouble and wants to negotiate.”

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Just a day later, he’s expected to receive a National Security Council briefing in the White House Situation Room, signaling that a decision could follow swiftly. But despite the escalating rhetoric, Trump has also lamented to reporters about being off the golf course for “3 weeks, 4 weeks,” claiming the interruption disrupted his routine of winning “35 club championships” at his properties.

To a reporter who quipped “It’s time to get out there,” the president replied, “Been a little busy. Wouldn't you rather have me doing what I'm doing in the end?” That “busy” schedule appears to include a return to his Bedminster Golf Club after weeks away.

According to CBS News, Trump is heading to the New Jersey course on Friday. He will receive an intelligence briefing before leaving, then again at the White House on Saturday, with him returning to the course after buying time by setting a two-week deadline to decide on strikes on Iran.

Critics have questioned Trump’s boasts of “35 club championships” on the golf course. Sportswriter Rick Reilly, author of “Commander in Cheat,” told Vox that the number is “100 percent a lie.” Reilly recounted how Trump allegedly claimed championships by playing alone in newly opened clubs — then declaring himself the winner.

In any case, his return to Bedminster doesn’t prevent the U.S. from continuing its intelligence collection, but after giving himself time to decide on military action, he's got chance to dust off his clubs.

As the world watches, Trump will be weighing when — and whether — to act. But one thing is certain: even as a possible strike deadline looms, he’s determined to squeeze in a round or two.