Trump’s Travel Mirrors Biden’s, Adds More Sports/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ morning Edition/ President Trump’s early second-term travel mirrors Biden’s first-year pace, with a distinctive focus on golf and high-profile sporting events. While Biden emphasized policy stops and pandemic response, Trump has prioritized rallies, overseas diplomacy, and athletic appearances. The White House defends the travel strategy as reflecting Trump’s “America First” mission.
Trump Presidential Travel Patterns: Quick Looks
- Trump made 49 trips to 14 states and 7 countries in 6 months
- Travel pace similar to Biden’s early 2021 itinerary
- More frequent visits to golf resorts and sports events
- Trump logged more international trips than Biden did early on
- Only three political rallies held by Trump so far
- Golf properties in Florida, New Jersey, Virginia are key destinations
- White House cites travel as aligned with America First agenda
- Trump skips several natural disaster sites visited by Biden
- Trump has yet to visit Gaza or Israel despite earlier pledge
- Planned visits to Scotland and England include golf properties
Deep Look: Trump Mirrors Biden’s Travel Pace, Emphasizes Golf and Sports
WASHINGTON (AP) — The phrase “moving at the speed of Trump” has become a defining line inside the White House, used to describe an administration keen on fast-tracking its agenda. Yet, when it comes to presidential travel in his second term, President Donald Trump is moving at a pace that closely resembles President Joe Biden’s during his own early tenure — with some key stylistic differences.
At the six-month mark of his second term, Trump has embarked on 49 trips across 14 states and 7 foreign countries, numbers that stack up closely with Biden’s 45 trips to 17 states and 3 foreign countries during the same time frame in 2021.
However, while Biden’s early travel was policy-heavy and pandemic-influenced, Trump’s itinerary leans recreational and symbolic, dominated by golf weekends, high-profile sports events, and selective international diplomacy.
Golf, Sports, and Personal Destinations
Trump’s travel map reveals a familiar pattern: frequent trips to his golf resorts in Palm Beach, FL, Bedminster, NJ, and Sterling, VA. He has made 14 visits to Florida, 13 to Virginia, and 8 to New Jersey, often spending weekends at these properties.
Unlike Biden’s quiet weekends attending Mass in Delaware, Trump’s schedule frequently includes UFC fights, the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, NCAA championships, and even the FIFA Club World Cup.
“He’s meeting the American people where they are,” said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers.
This travel strategy aligns with Trump’s brand: high visibility, celebrity-driven appearances, and consistent reinforcement of his “America First” platform.
International Travel and Diplomatic Moves
Trump has also outpaced Biden in early overseas travel. He attended Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, visited Gulf allies like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, and represented the U.S. at the G7 summit in Canada and NATO talks in the Netherlands.
In contrast, Biden’s international debut came in June 2021 with a trip to Europe, months after his inauguration, due to pandemic concerns.
Trump’s White House boasts that the president has already hosted 25 foreign leaders, including repeat visits from Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and NATO chief Mark Rutte.
Political Rallies, Commencements, and Policy Events
Trump has been selective with political rallies, holding only three so far: one each in Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Des Moines. He also delivered a notable speech in Las Vegas and addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference near Washington.
He has given multiple commencement speeches, including at the University of Alabama and West Point, surpassing Biden, who only delivered one early on — at the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut due to COVID restrictions.
Natural Disasters and Missed Visits
Trump has visited disaster-stricken regions in North Carolina, California, and Texas, but skipped trips to several other areas devastated by tornadoes and floods in Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
Biden, for his part, toured storm damage in Houston and made a notable visit to Surfside, Florida, after a deadly building collapse in 2021.
Unfulfilled Travel Promises
Trump pledged to visit Israel and Gaza following Netanyahu’s visit in February, but both destinations were absent from his Middle East tour. He also floated the idea of joining Elon Musk at Fort Knox, though Musk’s departure from the administration and public feud with Trump now makes that unlikely.
A planned visit to Africa remains vague, and Trump has yet to respond definitively to Indian PM Narendra Modi’s invitation to a Quad Summit in September.
Trump will travel to Scotland next week, visiting two golf properties, and plans an official visit to England in the fall, where King Charles has invited him for a historic second state visit.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.