Federal procurement records show that the U.S. Secret Service spent $26,353.47 to rent golf carts during President Donald Trump’s visit to his golf resort in Doonbeg, Ireland. The contract summary, reviewed by The Independent, described the procurement of the carts as an "urgent" matter for the presidential security detail.
The expenditure occurred while the president attended the final rounds of the Amgen Irish Open at the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel. The trip began on September 12, 2026, in Dublin, where the president met with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and President Catherine Connolly before traveling to the coastal village of Doonbeg.
According to federal contracting records, the Secret Service also spent $22,957 on lodging at the Doonbeg property. While the agency often rents golf carts from third-party vendors—such as a $550,000 contract in June 2025 for his Bedminster, New Jersey, club—the Doonbeg records did not list an outside supplier. The Secret Service did not respond to requests for comment regarding the transaction.
The spending at Trump-owned properties has drawn scrutiny from the House Oversight Committee. A 2024 report by committee Democrats alleged that the Secret Service was charged rates higher than authorized federal government rates and more than other private guests. This contrasts with previous statements from Eric Trump, who manages the Trump Organization and stated that the agency would stay at family properties "for free" or at the "cost for housekeeping."
The Irish visit also involved significant international resources, described by An Garda Síochána, Ireland’s national police, as one of its largest security operations. While the president returned to the United States on September 14, 2026, he stated he intends to return to Ireland in 2027 for the Ryder Cup. The ongoing use of private presidential resorts for official security details continues to establish a precedent for how federal agencies reimburse businesses owned by the commander-in-chief.