Trump hosts LIV Golf in Miami, wades into PGA merger talks

U.S. President Donald Trump took a break from the political firestorm over trade tariffs to step into the fray between Saudi-backed LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.

Trump flew to Florida on Thursday for a dinner with players and league officials at the three-day LIV Golf Miami tournament, which starts today at his Doral golf resort.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, the president said he’s making efforts to resolve the stalemate that followed a framework agreement to combine their business operations two years ago.

“Ultimately, hopefully, the two tours are going to merge,” Trump said, “That’ll be good. I’m involved in that too.”

The U.S. leader has taken a role from the beginning with LIV Golf, which is owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and burst onto the pro scene in 2021 by offering contracts to PGA stars for as much as $200 million.

While Trump has previously appeared at LIV events hosted at Doral, this week would mark his first appearance as president. In his effort to bring the two golf organizations together, Trump held a Feb. 20 meeting in the Oval Office that included PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan; PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and golfers Tiger Woods and Adam Scott.

Britain’s The Guardian reported on Thursday that merger negotiations had reached an impasse after the PGA failed to deliver “serious concessions” in exchange for a proposed $1.5 billion investment from the PIF that would make Al-Rumayyan co-chairman of the joint entity.