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Jack Nicklaus and Donald Trump at the unveiling of the Jack Nicklaus Villa at Trump Doral at Trump National Doral on February 20, 2015 in Doral, Florida.
- President Donald Trump's federal budget proposal earmarks $20 million for a hospital project backed by professional golfer and Trump's close friend Jack Nicklaus, Politico reported Tuesday.
- Politico said that Nicklaus personally lobbied Trump on the golf course for the federal budget to allocate the funding for a mobile children's hospital program he's supported.
- Trump and Nicklaus are long-time friends and golfing partners. In February, Trump posted a photo of him playing a round with Nicklaus and Tiger Woods at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida
President Donald Trump's recently-introduced federal budget proposal allocates $20 million for a hospital project backed by professional golfer and Trump's close friend Jack Nicklaus, Politico reported Tuesday.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Politico said that Nicklaus personally lobbied Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, and Trump himself on the golf course for the federal budget to allocate the money for a mobile children's hospital program
Sources told Politico that a designation in the budget that would allocate funding to "continue support for the pediatric disaster care pilot initiative" would go to Nicklaus' project.
Nicklaus' program aims to provide mobile hospital and medical services for children in vulnerable situations, including children whose lives have been disrupted by natural disasters such as hurricanes. His namesake children's hospital currently provides some mobile dental care for children, Politico said.
Trump and Nicklaus are long-time friends and golfing partners. In February, Trump posted a photo of him playing a round with Nicklaus and Tiger Woods at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida. Its 18-hole course was even designed by Nicklaus. He had previously golfed with Nicklaus around the Thanksgiving holidays.
Read more: Trump golfs with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus in first Florida outing since government shutdown
When Trump was running for president in 2016, Nicklaus praised Trump as "terrific" and said "he didn't get to where he's at because he's dumb."
"He's turning America upside-down, he's awakening the country," he said in an interview with CBS' Tim Axelrod. "We need a lot of that."
Nicklaus, dubbed "The Golden Bear" in the golf world, retired from the sport in 2005 after winning a career record 18 major tournaments including six wins at the Masters.