Trump's Favorite Exercise Could Be Key To Getting Through Assassination Attempt Anniversary

It's unlikely that President Donald Trump will ever forget July 13, 2024. That day, the then-candidate narrowly bypassed being seriously wounded or killed by a would-be assassin's bullet during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Though Trump was injured — the bullet grazed his right ear — he was able to continue his campaign.

Trump showed spirit by shouting, "Fight, fight, fight!" as he was hustled from the stage. However, the lasting intensity of the experience and its potential emotional effect shouldn't be underplayed. For survivors of intense events, anniversaries such as Trump's trigger a complex array of psychological responses, according to Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a New York City neuropsychologist and Director of Comprehend the Mind.

Explained Dr. Hafeez, "Even if someone isn't consciously thinking about the date, the body and mind may still recognize it, leading to mood changes, anxiety, irritability, or trouble sleeping." She added that trauma that's sudden, painful, or leaves a person feeling powerless can cause flashbacks, sadness, dread, and anger. (What could be more sudden than being shot?) Dr. Hafeez put special emphasis on survival after a historically relevant event because it "becomes part of a larger story that people continue to discuss, interpret, and sometimes distort."

Fortunately, exercise can help reduce the anxiety associated with such events. Dr. Hafeez shared traumatic experience coping techniques, including walking and yoga, to help "burn off the nervous energy that's bound to build up." While Trump has never been a poster child for working out, he does have a favorite exercise: golf.

Golf has been associated with favorable mental health benefits, so teeing up may be what Trump will need to get through the anniversary of the attempt on his life. In fact, a 2021 review in BMJ stated that playing golf could lead to improvements in cognitive well-being.

Interestingly, a 2009 study in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports showed that playing golf regularly might add up to five years to a golfer's life, ostensibly due to the increased activity. Therefore, Trump may be extending his life span by golfing while simultaneously increasing his ability to cut out what Dr. Hafeez called "nonessential stressors."

Does Trump play enough golf to get the potential health advantages of the game? While it's not clear how often he dusts off his clubs, he was spotted on his Mar-a-Lago golf course multiple times after taking office in January 2025. In fact, the Palm Desert Country Club reported in May 2025 that Trump had been on the greens 27 times since his inauguration.

Also, Trump's handicap has been reported as 2.8 (which is low), meaning that he is either naturally talented or playing routinely. Either way, he seems to be more than a dabbler, making golf the clear choice for helping him deal with any lingering trauma from his emotional experience.