Trump and PGA Tour Announce That He Will Chair 2026 Presidents Cup

man in suit stepping out of a vehicle — Photo: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock

President Trump will serve as Honorary Chairman of the 2026 Presidents Cup, joining a line of U.S. presidents who have held the ceremonial title since 1994.

Quick Take

The PGA Tour confirmed Trump accepted the Honorary Chairman role for the 2026 Presidents Cup.
The tournament runs September 22 to 27, 2026, at Medinah Country Club near Chicago.
The White House announced the news, and Trump shared it on Truth Social.
Past honorary chairmen include Gerald Ford, both Bushes, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Justin Trudeau.

The Announcement And What It Means

The PGA Tour posted the news directly on its site, stating Trump accepted the role for next year’s event. The White House also announced the appointment, and Trump reposted it on Truth Social, according to contemporaneous reporting. The Presidents Cup pits a U.S. team against an International squad, and the honorary chairman title traditionally goes to a sitting head of state or government from the host nation.

🚨 Donald Trump was requested by the PGA Tour to be the Honorary Chairman of the Presidents Cup

LIBERALS CAN’T STAND THIS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hgjV3YU8FC

— Joseph Ferris ( Boopsy) (@bupc_boopsy) August 29, 2026

This will not be Trump’s first time in the role. He served as Honorary Chairman back in 2017, when the tournament was held at Liberty National in New Jersey. That year, he presented the trophy to the winning U.S. team and dedicated it to hurricane victims, a moment that drew wide coverage at the time. His return to the position in 2026 continues a pattern that stretches back more than three decades.

A Tradition Built Into The Tournament Itself

The Presidents Cup has never treated this title as a one-time novelty. Gerald Ford opened the tradition in 1994, and George H.W. Bush followed in 1996. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama each took a turn, with Obama notably serving twice, in 2009 and again in 2013. Foreign leaders have also held the post, including Australian Prime Minister John Howard and South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Justin Trudeau most recently held the title in 2024, when Montreal hosted the tournament for the second time in its history. The Presidents Cup’s own announcement of that appointment listed the full chain of past chairmen, showing the role rotates with the host country and its current leader, not with any single political party or era.

Why The Chicago Setting Matters

Medinah Country Club has a storied golf history, and hosting the 2026 Presidents Cup there puts the tournament back in a major American market. Reports place the event dates firmly at September 22 through 27, 2026, giving fans and players a clear runway to prepare. The location adds weight to the announcement, since Chicago crowds are known for loud, energetic support during team golf events.

PGA Tour Commissioner Brian Rolapp is tied to the appointment in recent statements, continuing the tour’s practice of personally extending the invitation to sitting leaders. That leadership involvement signals the tour views the chairmanship as a serious institutional tradition, not a passing publicity move. The role itself remains ceremonial, without any voting power over the competition or its outcome.

Reading The Reaction Fairly

Some outlets have framed the appointment as controversial given Trump’s polarizing profile, while others have covered it as routine sports news following a well-worn playbook. Both framings can be true at once. The position has always been symbolic, yet attaching a sitting president’s name to a global golf event naturally draws political commentary, especially in a charged media environment.

None of that changes the underlying fact. The PGA Tour extended an honorary invitation, and Trump accepted it, following the same process used for Trudeau in 2024 and for Trump himself in 2017. Readers looking for scandal in a ceremonial golf title will come up empty, because the tournament’s own history shows this is exactly how the role has always worked.

What Comes Next For Fans And Players

Golf fans should expect the usual buildup: team announcements, qualifying rounds, and media previews leading into September 2026. The honorary chairman typically appears at the event, often taking part in trophy presentations, much like Trump did in 2017. Beyond that ceremonial function, the tournament’s competitive structure and team format remain unchanged by who holds the title.

For now, the confirmed facts are straightforward. Trump holds the Honorary Chairman title for the 2026 Presidents Cup, the PGA Tour and White House both confirmed it, and the event will take place at Medinah Country Club this coming September. Everything else is tradition playing out exactly as it has for more than thirty years.

🚨 JUST IN: President Trump has hereby ACCEPTED becoming PGA Tour's Honorary Chairman of the upcoming Presidents Cup, taking place in Chicago

Awesome! 🔥

"At the request of the PGA Tour, and its Great new Commissioner, Brian Rolapp, it is my Honor to accept being the Honorary… pic.twitter.com/wFbgTjAszD

— Commentary Ivanka Trump RV 🇺🇸 (@Ivankatrumprv45) August 29, 2026