No, former U.S. President Donald Trump did not play golf in New Jersey after assassination attempt

Context

Posts circulating on social media claim that former President Donald Trump went golfing the day after an assassination attempt on July 13, 2024. The claim has been shared on X, formerly known as Twitter (see archived examples here, here, and here), Reddit (archived here), and Facebook (archived here and here). Although some posts appear satirical and are shared by accounts that typically share satirical content (archived here), others do not seem to have been shared in a satirical context. 

A video of Trump playing golf was also shared by Republican Senator Mike Lee on X (see archived version here), captioned "Gets shot. Gets up the next day. Goes golfing." So far, the clip has gained over nine million views. Other posts feature photos purportedly showing Trump playing golf following the incident, some of which are screenshots of the video shared by Mike Lee. Some also include a screenshot of a post from Reddit (see the screenshot here), which depicts a statement from an alleged cart boy from Bedminster who claims to have seen Trump "playing golf about 16 hours after getting nearly assassinated."

Mike Lee has since posted (archived here) to say, "Okay, I'm now told this video was uploaded today but *not* taken today. My bad!"

The recent shooting has sparked widespread speculation and a surge of rumors and false narratives on social media. Conspiracy theories range from claims of political sabotage to elaborate plots involving foreign actors. Some statements support particular viewpoints, while others reflect attempts to understand the situation still under investigation. Misinformation circulates rapidly during breaking news events due to the high demand for immediate updates. This urgency often leads to the spread of unverified information and speculation. For example, Logically Facts has previously covered conflicting narratives around the shooting of the Slovakian Prime Minister.

Regarding the assassination attempt, Logically Facts has debunked false claims that range from Trump allegedly smiling after the attack, the shooter using a BB gun, the blood from Trump's ear being purportedly fake, and the former president visiting UFC after the attack, among others. Logically Facts has also written an article about the identity of the suspected shooter to address some misinformation circulating about the suspect.   

In fact

The claim that former President Donald Trump went golfing shortly after the assassination attempt is false, as the visuals used in these posts are from before the attack. 

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump occurred on July 13, 2024, when he was attending a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. Multiple news outlets, including ABC7 Chicago and the BBC, have provided a timeline. According to them, after being shot in the upper part of his right ear, Trump was removed from the scene and immediately taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation and treatment. They departed around 6.14 p.m. He issued his first statement only a few hours later, around 8.42 p.m., after being released from the hospital. ABC7Chicago states that around 11:00 p.m., Trump departed Pennsylvania for New Jersey.

Footage of Donald Trump after the shooting shows him disembarking from a plane (see here) in New Jersey en route to Bedminster, recorded on July 14. The flight from Pennsylvania took around an hour. He only arrived at his New Jersey estate around midnight. The next sighting of Trump was shortly after 4 p.m. the next day, July 14, when, according to the New York Post, he left the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster en route to Newark Liberty International Airport. Although his whereabouts on the morning of July 14 have not been captured, there is no credible evidence he spent this time golfing. 

Firstly, according to Politico, Trump National Golf Club Bedminster was closed on July 14, 2024, due to the assassination attempt the day before. The members couldn't access the property because of security. Secondly, although media and supporters gathered near Trump's Bedminster estate, there have been no official reports or visuals of him golfing that day. The claim has only been shared on social media. Various news reports have corroborated the timeline following the assassination attempt, such as BBC, ABC7Chicago, and New York Post, none of which have confirmed his golfing. 

Moreover, the viral video shows moderate to heavy wind as Trump sits in his golf cart. However, on July 14, there was only light wind, mainly around 0 mph, reaching a maximum of 6.9 mph before Trump's departure. The same goes for the day before. Additionally, the day wasn't as sunny, as it was raining around 1.30 p.m. and later. Finally, at the Republican National Convention's opening night on July 15, Trump appeared with a bandage over his right ear, missing from the video of him golfing. Considering these details, it is very likely that the video of Trump golfing was not taken on Sunday. Unfortunately, the account that initially shared the video has gone private, and thus, its timing can not be determined. 

Trump's actual actions were in line with seeking medical attention immediately after the assassination attempt, boarding his plane to Bedminster, and recovering shortly at his estate before heading off to Milwaukee. Thus, we rate this claim as false. 

The verdict

The claim that Donald Trump went golfing after an assassination attempt is false. The photos used in the social media posts are not from the day of the incident. Trump was taken to the hospital for treatment following the attempt on his life. The golf course at Bedminster was closed while he stayed at the estate. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.

Follow Logically Facts' coverage and fact-checking of the U.S. Election 2024 here.