Donald Trump is famous for handing out nicknames to his political rivals—“Crooked Hillary,” “Sleepy Joe,” and most recently, “Birdbrain” for Nikki Haley. Over the years, he’s built a reputation for using cutting and often mocking monikers as weapons in the political arena.
But what many people don’t know is that Trump has a nickname of his own, and it doesn’t come from the campaign trail or a political enemy.
It comes from the golf course.
And according to caddies, fellow players, and longtime members of elite clubs, it’s a nickname rooted not in admiration… but in accusations of cheating.
They call him “Pele.”
Not because of his finesse. Not for his athleticism. But because, like the legendary soccer player, Donald Trump has allegedly developed a habit of kicking—only it’s his golf ball, not a soccer ball.
The Game He Loves — and Allegedly Cheats At
Donald Trump is no stranger to golf. Throughout his presidency and beyond, he’s spent hundreds of hours on the links, often at courses he owns. He’s proudly declared himself a club champion at multiple courses, racking up dozens of self-reported titles.
But as much as Trump claims to love golf, he may also love winning a little too much.
Sportswriter and author Rick Reilly dove into Trump’s golf habits in his bestselling book, Commander in Cheat, where he claims the former president doesn’t just bend the rules—he breaks them wide open.
“I’ve always said golf is like bicycle shorts,” Reilly said during a TV appearance. “It reveals a lot about a man. And what it reveals about Trump is that he has to win—so he cheats.”
Mulligans, “Give Me” Chip-Ins, and Mystery Trophies
Reilly recounted firsthand experiences playing with Trump, where the former president allegedly took seven mulligans (extra shots that aren’t counted), granted himself chip-ins without finishing the play, and routinely moved his ball into better positions.
Reilly says Trump once explained how he “wins” so many club championships: “Anytime I buy a new course, I play the first round all by myself… and declare myself the club champion.”
Let that sink in.
According to Reilly and others, Trump has claimed victories in tournaments where he never even competed—or wasn’t even in the state.
And this isn’t just secondhand gossip. Former Trump Plaza executive Jack O’Donnell shared that one of his colleagues, the late Mark Eddis, once played with Trump and came back laughing. When asked if Trump cheated, Eddis replied: “Every shot but the tee shot.”
The Nickname “Pele”: A Caddy’s Inside Joke
At Winged Foot Golf Club—one of the country’s most prestigious courses and a favorite of Trump’s—caddies began noticing a curious pattern.
Trump, they said, had a habit of kicking his ball out of tough lies and back onto the fairway when he thought no one was watching.
They nicknamed him “Pele”—a nod to the Brazilian soccer icon and Trump’s own claimed admiration for the player.
Of course, it wasn’t a compliment.
According to Bryan Marsal, chair of the 2020 U.S. Open and a longtime Winged Foot member, Trump once greeted him at the first tee by saying, “You see those two guys? They cheat. See me? I cheat. And I expect you to cheat, because we’re going to beat those two guys today.”
To Trump, cheating wasn’t the exception—it was the strategy.
Is It Really Cheating If Everyone Does It?
Marsal said something particularly revealing: Trump seems to believe that everyone cheats, and therefore, his own actions aren’t unfair—they’re just part of the game.
“So yes, it’s true,” Marsal confirmed, “he’s going to cheat you. But I think Donald, in his heart of hearts, believes that you’re going to cheat him, too.”
This mindset speaks volumes—not just about Trump’s golf habits, but possibly about how he views competition in general. If winning is the goal, and everyone else is bending the rules, why shouldn’t he?
The Denials and the Defense
Naturally, Trump’s team has pushed back against the accusations. Campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung fired back at Rick Reilly in a 2024 interview, saying:
“Rick fantasizes about having a golf game as good as President Trump. But instead of putting in the hard work to improve his s—ty game, Rick allows his severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome to completely take over his life.”
Cheung dismissed the claims as personal attacks from a jealous reporter. But Reilly wasn’t alone in raising concerns.
Even respected members of the golf community—who otherwise avoid political drama—have shared similar stories of Trump’s questionable conduct on the course.
And Reilly isn’t pulling his punches. “Trump cheats like a three-card Monte dealer,” he wrote in Golf.com, “throws, boots, and moves the ball… and lies about his lies.”
A Man’s Golf Game Says a Lot
Golf is often called a “gentleman’s game.” The rules are based on honesty, integrity, and self-regulation. There are no referees following you around. It’s just you, the ball, and your conscience.
Which is why many believe a man’s golf game reveals his character.
If the stories about Trump’s behavior are true, what does that say about the man? Not just on the golf course—but in business, politics, and life?
Does It Matter?
Some of Trump’s supporters laugh off the allegations, calling them harmless or even endearing. They say Trump’s golf “antics” are just part of his competitive spirit. That it’s not real cheating—it’s just “Trump being Trump.”
But to others, it’s one more sign of a man who plays by his own rules, whether it’s in real estate, politics… or a Sunday foursome at his own golf club.
It’s not about the scorecard—it’s about honesty. And for many Americans, that still matters.
Donald Trump may be known for his nicknames, but “Pele” isn’t one he chose for himself. It’s a name whispered by caddies and murmured by fellow players—an inside joke that reveals something deeper about the man behind the brand.
Whether you find it funny or disturbing, one thing is certain: Trump’s golf game tells a story. And for those who’ve seen it firsthand, it’s a story about power, control, and a desperate need to win—at any cost.
