President Donald Trump is back at his New Jersey golf club on another "working vacation."
Trump's 11-day stay at his Bedminster, N.J., club kicked off Aug. 2. Since then, he's taken a day-trip to Ohio for a campaign rally for congressional candidate Troy Balderson; has spent time on the golf course; had phone calls with lawmakers and administration officials; dinner with supporters; and scheduled a dinner with business leaders Aug. 7. The White House said the point of that meeting was "to hear how the economy is doing from their perspective and what their priorities and thoughts are for the year ahead."
Trump last August spent more than two weeks at his Bedminster club, but pushed back against labels of his trip as a "vacation."
"Working in Bedminster, N.J., as long planned construction is being done at the White House. This is not a vacation - meetings and calls!" Trump tweeted Aug. 5, 2017.
Trump last August also said his trip to Bedminster coincided with long-planned White House renovations (True). This time around, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley on Aug. 6 said Trump was at Bedminster as the White House "undergoes needed renovations to the Oval Office and other areas in the West Wing." But in a more detailed White House statement Aug. 7, there was no mention of the Oval Office's renovations, Roll Call reported.
Before assuming office, Trump repeatedly criticized former president Barack Obama for the amount of time Obama spent golfing. Yet, PolitiFact's Trump Golf Tracker (last updated May 18) shows that in his first year as president, Trump outpaced Obama in the amount of time spent on golf courses.
The White House on several occasions has declined to confirm Trump's golf outings, but Trump's press secretary Sarah Sanders has also said that spending time on the golf course with lawmakers has helped Trump develop "deeper and better relationships" with them.
Trump still has several "working vacation" days left this August, which could include down time and presidency-related events. For now we'll continue to rate his promise not to take vacations as Stalled.