Trump’s love of golf is already costing the government $26 million, and it’s only March!

Donald Trump has returned to both the golf course and the White House. More than $26 million has already been spent on taxpayer-funded golf during the president’s second term, according to a recent HuffPost investigation, just 69 days into the new term.

According to the data, which is based on a 2019 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, since taking office on January 20, Trump has spent 18 days at his golf facilities, 14 of which have been at his resort in West Palm Beach. This indicates that the president has been at his own golf clubs for almost 25% of his time in office.

Trump’s golf outings have a special price: the majority of them are held at resorts he owns, which makes each trip profitable for his private company. This is true even though all modern presidents travel and schedule leisure time. Air Force One operations, the president’s motorcade transportation, and the deployment of Secret Service officers and security equipment for every visit are all included in the $26.1 million price tag.

Since Trump’s first term was the source of the GAO’s initial data, the current estimate—which HuffPost computed using 2017 costs—is probably conservative. Experts estimate that today’s total may be even greater due to inflation and rising travel expenses.

Trump spent 293 days playing golf during his first term, earning $151.5 million in public expenses, nearly all of which were related to trips to his own homes. Trump has continued to play golf on the weekends, a habit that has generated criticism despite his campaign pledges to “rarely leave the White House.”

Trump has over four years left in office, and he shows no signs of slowing down on the fairway. As the bill keeps getting bigger, his golf schedule is certain to continue to be a source of controversy.