The One Healthy Habit Trump Has In Common With His Active Grandchildren

President Donald Trump won't go down in history as the United States leader with the highest BMI. (That distinction goes to William Taft, whose BMI topped 42; Trump's is 28.) However, Trump is also unlikely to get many gold stars for his health and exercise regimen. (And let's not even talk about Trump's unhealthy sleep habits.)

Trump's daily diet highlights a love of fast food and disdain for veggies (he once referred to them as "garbage" food), typically going for options that most people wouldn't consider healthy. He also generally isn't a fan of exercise, reportedly considering time spent playing sports as a waste of time. In contrast, his grandkids seem to be really into leading healthy lifestyles.

For example, Ivanka Trump's daughter Arabella enjoys jiujitsu and horseback riding (via Instagram). Another Instagram post by Ivanka, referring to Arabella's brother, Theo, included jiujitsu among his pastimes as well. Eric Trump's kids seem to be active, too: Even at their young ages, they play football and cheerlead, according to their mom's Instagram.

At first blush, the activity level of his grandchildren may sound like Trump can't keep up. But Trump maintains a surprisingly healthy habit that allows him to stay in stride with the younger set: He golfs.

Although golf may look like a laid-back sport, it's unexpectedly intense. Plus, it's completely in line with the sport that one of his grandchildren plays pretty well. That's Kai, the daughter of Donald Trump, Jr., whose Instagram name gives a shoutout to her golfing love, @kaitrumpgolfer. In 2024, she thanked her grandfather in an Instagram post for giving her "access to great courses," a reference to the golf course properties his company owns.

But back to the fitness part of golfing: When you're on the course, you have the chance to work numerous parts of your body. And even if you decide to take a golf cart instead of walking — Trump tends to prefer the former — you'd still have to exert a decent amount of energy.

According to exercise coach Jamie Greaves (via Golf Monthly), playing 18 holes can burn as many as 1,000 calories depending on the player, the topography of the course, and other factors. And although Greaves feels that golf isn't able to give as much of a caloric burn as, say, a high-intensity aerobic class, he admits that it's a good way to stay fitter from both a mental and physical perspective.

In other words, while Trump might not be quite as active as his grandkids, he at least follows some exercise routines — and he seems to be a respectable overall golfer. For the record, Trump's official handicap is reportedly a low 2.8, which beats any other president's handicap. Therefore, maybe some of his self-reported athletic ability from his days playing football and baseball as a young person (according to a 2014 Golf Digest interview) has carried over into his later years.