Some critics of President Trump and the news media argue that political commentators have set an unusually low bar for Trump. At 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, the news division of Fox News sent out this "news alert":
In fact, Trump spent Saturday and Sunday at his golf course in Sterling, Virginia. His staff said he was in meetings, but social media posts showed he was wearing golf attire and spending time on the links. "Normally, I'd suggest that everyone cool it with the golf snark," notes Kevin Drum at Mother Jones. "We've now had four consecutive presidents who have taken endless grief every time they hit the links, and it's pretty stupid." But not only was this Trump's 13th trip to one of his golf clubs in 10 weeks in office, "like an embarrassed drunk, he's now trying to hide his golf addiction."
At The New York Times, Eric Lipton and Noah Weiland have a more substantive critique of Trump's frequent visits to Trump-branded properties, including another meal at his hotel in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night — the only restaurant he's eaten at in D.C. while president. For Trump, "it was just another weekend with a presidential-size spotlight on his family's business outlets," they write. "White House officials have said Mr. Trump goes to his clubs and restaurants because he is comfortable there, but critics increasingly argue that the visits are priceless advertising and that Mr. Trump and his family are using the presidency as a way to enrich themselves."
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"It is normal for presidents to get out — and it can be a boost for small businesses across the city and the country," Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, told The Times. "But with President Trump, he spends his down time as a walking advertisement for his businesses. It is a major departure from historic norm and degradation of the office."
Again, Trump had a tough week, and a few rounds of golf is a healthy way to blow off steam. But while Trump did not travel to his Florida club this weekend, and he may have spent part of his golf outings holding meetings, he clearly did not spend the "weekend working at the White House." And even if he had, outside of CNN, it's doesn't usually merit a "news alert" when somebody does his job.
