Donald Trump is returning as Presidents Cup honorary chairman, adding presidential star power—and inevitable political heat—to golf’s showdown at Medinah.
Donald Trump and the 2026 Presidents Cup are officially sharing the spotlight.
The 45th and 47th U.S. president has accepted the honorary chairman position for the biennial golf showdown at Medinah Country Club near Chicago. The event week runs Sept. 22-27, with competition scheduled for Sept. 24-27 on the club’s famed Course No. 3.
It’s a ceremonial job, but this won’t be Trump’s ceremonial debut.
He previously occupied the role at the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National in New Jersey, appearing during the nationally televised trophy presentation after the United States steamrolled the International Team, 19-11.
His return gives the 2026 event a guaranteed attention boost and ensures the conversation won’t remain confined to birdies, pairings and captain’s picks.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp framed Trump’s involvement as a continuation of an event tradition that has crossed political parties and international borders. Gerald Ford became the first honorary chairman in 1994.
George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden have since held the position, as have leaders from Canada, Australia, South Korea and South Africa.
The competition itself could use more drama than its historical record provides.
The United States has won 13 of the previous 15 Presidents Cups. The International Team’s lone victory came at Royal Melbourne in 1998, while the 2003 contest in South Africa finished in a 17-17 tie.
That leaves the Americans unbeaten in the event since the late 1990s.
Brandt Snedeker will captain the U.S. Team for the first time, facing an International squad led by Geoff Ogilvy.
Snedeker owns a 2-3-0 Presidents Cup playing record and also competed in two Ryder Cups. Ogilvy appeared in three Presidents Cups, compiling a 7-6-1 record.
Medinah supplies an appropriately oversized stage. Course No. 3 has hosted three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, the 2012 Ryder Cup and the 2019 BMW Championship.
Its 2024 redesign introduced larger greens, wider fairways and bolder bunkering across the 7,564-yard, par-72 layout.
Trump called both teams “loaded” and said he plans to attend. Whether fans welcome the presidential presence or roll their eyes, one thing’s certain: this Presidents Cup just became much harder to ignore.
