Trump leaves press pool behind to golf

Donald Trump ditched his protective press pool on Saturday to play golf, leaving behind the group of journalists responsible for documenting the president-elect’s movements at all times, according to The Associated Press.

Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition team, confirmed to the AP that the president-elect had made a “last minute trip” to Trump National Golf Club Jupiter, about a half-hour drive from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where Trump has been staying for the holidays.

“We are in the home stretch of this transition period and don’t anticipate any additional situations like this between now and inauguration,” Grisham said in a statement. 

{mosads}

“We hope this one incident doesn’t negate all the progress we have made and look forward to continuing the great relationships we have built,” she added.

Trump’s movement was apparently first discovered by the press pool when a golfer tweeted about spotting the billionaire on the Jupiter course.

President out with about 25 Secret Service, he can play and would beat Obama at golf as well pic.twitter.com/PnG4jGDozL

— Dr. Eric Kaplan (@drekaplan) December 31, 2016

Talking to President, he shot 75 was a great host and in great spirits pic.twitter.com/CtG2ajj9KN

— Dr. Eric Kaplan (@drekaplan) December 31, 2016 

In lockeroom with President watching himself on Television pic.twitter.com/ZZXXP4XnEU

— Dr. Eric Kaplan (@drekaplan) December 31, 2016

It’s not the first time Trump has broken with presidential protocol and ditched the press pool during the transition.

Shortly after the election in November, Trump went out to dinner in Manhattan without informing the press pool of his whereabouts, stirring backlash.

Since then, his aides have made an effort keep members of the media informed of his movements.