Former President Donald Trump tees off at LIV Golf amid controversy

STERLING, Va. — Former president Donald Trump took to the course which bears his name on Thursday. Playing alongside his son Eric, Trump joined professional golfers Patrick Reed and Graeme McDowell in the Pro-Am tournament during the LIV Golf tour.

After playing a hole, he stopped to chat with WUSA9 about how he feels about the 2024 presidential election.

"I feel great! We had a poll today, 71-16, and I guess the Fox poll was good. They're all good. All the polls are nice," Trump said. 

Trump National Golf Club in Loudoun County is one of several courses owned by the former president where LIV Golf holds tournaments. 

"I tell you when things are great, I tell you when things are OK, and I tell you when things are bad. You've got the Potomac River and there's nothing like it," Trump said.

As WUSA9 has been reporting, LIV Golf has been under fire. Families of Sept. 11 victims have said the Saudi-backed tournament is an insult to those killed in the terrorist attacks and an attempt to "sports wash" a history of human right abuses and terrorism. 

Terry Strada blames the Saudi government for helping to orchestrate the 9/11 attacks that killed 3,000 people in D.C., Pennsylvania and New York, including her late husband Tom, who worked in the Twin Towers. As the national chairwoman of 9/11 Families Untied, Strada has called on American golfers to renounce their membership in the LIV Golf league. 

We asked Trump why he partners with the controversial league. 

"They pay a rental fee. They want to use my properties because they are the best properties," Trump said. He said he believes despite the controversy, LIV golf is good for all professional golfers. 

"It’s great for the players because the players are making more money than they ever have – not just here but because they’ve raised the purses all over. The Saudis have been fantastic for golf and they’re going to make it a big part of inside the country, they’re going to do some great courses," the former president said.

With the 2024 presidential election about 18 months away, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announcing he would be running, Trump had a few comments about his former golf buddy.

"I think he's very disloyal. But he's got no personality. If you don't have personality, politics is a very hard business," Trump said.