Trump in talks to host Saudi golf league in potentially lucrative deal with oppressive regime: report

Former president Donald Trump's company is reportedly in talks to host the controversial Saudi golf league at two of his courses.

"The financial terms of the proposed deal are unclear, but the events would undoubtedly provide revenue for Trump through the Saudis, who are making a fierce bid to recruit PGA Tour players and launch a series of golf tournaments," the Washington Post reported Saturday. "As president, Trump frequently defended the Saudi government even as it committed a wide range of human right abuses, including the 2018 murder of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi and the imprisonment and execution of gay citizens. Trump’s first overseas trip as president was to Saudi Arabia, and he regularly praised the country’s wealth and power, even as some advisers pushed him to take a tougher line on the country."

The deal would provide Trump with a measure of revenge against the PGA Tour, which has pulled events from his courses over his politics. People familiar with the negotiations said the Saudi golf league events would be held at Trump's Bedminster, N.J., and Doral, Fla., resorts. The Post noted that while Doral has been the biggest revenue generator among Trump's golf courses, it suffered financially during his presidency and the pandemic.

"Longtime professional golfer Phil Mickelson has come under fire in recent days for saying that he was willing to overlook the country’s human rights record and consider supporting the new league," the Post noted. "Many critics have said the Saudi government is attempting to buttress its standing by holding high-profile sporting events."

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