Trump attacked PGA golf players and backed their Saudi-funded rival, deepening a feud from when a Trump venue was ditched after January 6
- Donald Trump urged PGA players join the Saudi-funded LIV, which his resort is hosting.
- LIV caused a major rift in golf when it launched, and Trump sided with LIV over the PGA.
Former President Donald Trump in a post urged golf pros to join the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series, which he is hosting at his Bedminster resort.
The message deepened a feud between Trump and the PGA, which reached an earlier low when the golfing body stripped Trump's court of a prestigious championship after the January 6 Capitol riot.
Trump made the entreaty to PGA played in a post on his Truth Social sit.
"All of those golfers that remain 'loyal' to the very disloyal PGA, in all of its different forms, will pay a big price when the inevitable MERGER with LIV comes, and you get nothing but a big 'thank you' from PGA officials who are making Millions of Dollars a year," wrote Trump.
"If you don't take the money now, you will get nothing after the merger takes place, and only say how smart the original signees were," he predicted.
Trump's resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, is scheduled to host the LIV tournament from July 29 to July 31, with his Trump Doral resort in Florida to host the final in October.
Families of those killed in the 9/11 terror attacks have said that Trump should not be hosting the tournament, alleging links between some of the terrorists behind the attack and Saudi officials.
They pointed to connections Trump has made in the past between Saudi Arabia and the attackers. The Saudi government has repeatedly denied any involvement.
The PGA has suspended players taking part in the LIV, amid accusation Saudi Arabia was using the glitzy tournament to launder its reputation after the murder of dissident Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Trump's attacks on the PGA step up a feud he's had with the organisation since January, 2021, when PGA executives cancelled a tournament scheduled to take place at Bedminster over the Capitol riot.
The Trump Organization accused the PGA of breaching its contract with Bedminster, and the parties reached a settlement in November 2021.
During his time in office, Trump attracted frequent criticism over the alleged entanglement of his business interests and political career.