Former Sports Illustrated and ESPN writer Rick Reilly once again blasted President Donald Trump’s golf game – further accusing Trump of lying about his accolades.
Reilly has written multiple books on the sport of golf, including one about Trump titled ‘Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump’.
The latest jab the acclaimed sports writer delivered comes in the context of Trump posting a video of a putt of his on Truth Social with the caption, ’36 Club Championships!’
Reilly took a screen grab of that video and captioned it: ‘Number of “championships” he said he had last time: 24 Number he says he suddenly has now: 36 Number that his twisted ego just skipped: 11. Number of actual “championships” he’s won: 0 #CommanderInCheat’.
While Trump isn’t the only President that Reilly has accused of nefarious scores (having previously accused Bill Clinton of similar behavior), Reilly’s book on Trump became a New York Times Bestseller when it was released in 2019.
The notes for the book’s listing on Amazon reads, ‘Based on Reilly’s own experiences with Trump as well as interviews with over 100 golf pros, amateurs, developers, and caddies, “Commander in Cheat” is a startling and at times hilarious indictment of Trump and his golf game.’
Former SI and ESPN writer Rick Reilly once again accused the President of cheating at golf

On Wednesday, the President posted this clip to celebrate his ’36 Club Championships!’
Reilly took the chance to suggest again that Trump lied about his prowess on the course
The notes also detail how Trump ‘cheats (sometimes with the help of his caddies and Secret Service agents), lies about his scores (the “Trump Bump”), tells whoppers about the rank of his courses and their worth (declaring that every one of them is worth $50million), and tramples the etiquette of the game (driving on greens doesn’t help).’
Some MAGA followers blasted Reilly for his critique, with one reading, ‘Stick to sports. Wtf’.
Reilly’s post comes roughly a week-and-a-half after video of Trump appearing to benefit from a favorable lie went viral on social media.
Video taken from inside a building showed the moment the US president rolled up in a golf cart left of the fairway at Turnberry – with a bunker in front of him and some light fescue to his left.
As two caddies walked by, the camera captured one of them stopping, bending down slightly, and dropping a ball in front of the president.
Trump got out of his golf cart with a club and approached the dropped ball in what appeared to be an attempt to hit it. The video stops before he takes a swing.
The clip went viral on social media, with multiple commenters calling out the 79-year-old for ‘cheating’.
Reilly has written many books on golf and used his own experiences with Trump – as well as interviews with hundreds who have known his game – to write ‘Commander in Cheat’ in 2019
In late July, video of the President ‘cheating’ at golf in Scotland went viral on social media
The camera caught a forecaddie dropping a ball in front of the president at Turnberry
Trump then got out of his golf cart and approached the ball with club in hand
‘Who needs a foot wedge when you have a personal ball dropper???’ wrote one commenter on X, formerly Twitter.
Another account posted, ‘Him and Kim Jong Un would be INSANE scramble partners’.
One account which appears to belong to a PGA professional commented, ‘Such a perfect metaphor for our Commander-in-Cheat.’
‘Wild…Looks like I need these fellas as Caddies with the way I hit it anymore,’ another post joked.
Reilly is not the only person who has publicly accused Trump of cheating
Earlier this year, film star Samuel L. Jackson accused him of cheating when the pair played a round together.
Asked who the better golfer was, the Pulp Fiction actor said: ‘Oh, I am, for sure. I don’t cheat.’
Taking to social media to reply to Jackson, Trump responded by saying he had never played with him on a course.