Wayne Rooney once revealed the surreal experience of playing golf with Donald Trump during his first presidency.
The former England captain told the story with a laugh, describing how what began as a casual game quickly turned into a full-scale security event.
He had gone to one of Trump’s courses with a friend visiting from Manchester, but the scene that greeted them was unlike anything he expected.
Sniffer dogs, armed guards, and snipers surrounded the fairways as the President joined their group. Rooney said the whole thing felt completely surreal.
Wayne Rooney describes an unforgettable day on the course
Rooney set the scene before diving into the details, explaining how the day unfolded once he arrived at the course.
“When he was President the first time, I went to play golf. My friend was over from Manchester,” he said on A League of Their Own.
“We went to play golf at his course, and when we got there, there were sniffer dogs, and there was security everywhere.
“And he said, ‘The President’s coming in, he’s playing with you’. We’re playing with snipers everywhere. There are all kinds. It was surreal.”
Rooney’s tone made it clear that even he, a global football icon, was caught off guard by the level of protection surrounding the US leader.
It wasn’t just the presence of security – it was the sense of being dropped into a scene that didn’t quite feel real. The quiet of a golf course was replaced by radios, agents, and the constant hum of control.
Donald Trump’s punchline that summed up the absurdity
Rooney said the most memorable moment came when he spotted three large vehicles parked nearby.
“There were three big Escalades there. And one of them had a box on the back,” he recalled.
“So, I said to him, ‘What’s that for?’. He said if there’s a nuclear attack, he gets put in that and airlifted out. So I was like, ‘What happens to us?’ He was like, ‘You are f—–’!”
The story left Rooney laughing as he told it, a surreal mix of high security and everyday humor.
For a player who has lived through countless pressure moments on the pitch, this one still stands out.
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