Trump Reacts to Tiger Woods’ DUI Plea Deal, Says He’d Urged Golfer to Hire a Driver

Paloma ChavezThu, September 3, 2026 at 12:07 AM UTC

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President Donald Trump; Tiger WoodsCredit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Andrew Redington/Getty -

Tiger Woods agreed to a plea deal reducing his DUI charge to reckless and careless driving

President Donald Trump reacted to the news and said he had previously advised the pro golfer to get a driver due to his ongoing back issues

Woods’ license was suspended for five years following the plea deal

Following Tiger Woods‘ plea deal that resulted in a five-year license suspension of five years, President Donald Trump has commented.

“What do you think about the plea deal down in Florida today? Tiger Woods, who famously called you as he was being arrested, has agreed to have a suspended driver’s license for five years,” a reporter asked the president in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

“I know Tiger very well; he’s a great guy,” Trump, 80, said of the pro golfer, 50. “He’s unique in so many ways, especially as an athlete but also as a man.”

“He suffers great pain,” he continued, referring to the golfer’s ongoing back pain. “It’s a very tough situation because they didn’t find alcohol on him; he didn’t test positive at all for alcohol.”

“Because of his horrible back, in my opinion a bad doctor, but he had a back operation that did not work out well,” the president continued. “It’s a tough deal when you’re taking a pain killer because you’re in pain…I thought it was very fair.”

“I think he’s gonna have somebody drive him,” he added. “I told him that a long time… Why don’t you get somebody to drive you, so he’s gonna have somebody drive him from now on.”

Tiger Woods at Hero World Challenge presentation ceremonyCredit: David Cannon/Getty

The president’s remarks come after Woods appeared in a Martin County, Fla., court on Wednesday, Sept. 2, and changed his plea from not guilty to no contest on reduced charges stemming from a March 27 crash.

Under the agreement, Woods’ DUI charge was reduced to reckless and careless driving charges. A judge also ordered him to pay a $1,000 fine and suspended his driver’s license for five years.

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Woods arrived at the courthouse with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, by his side.

He was arrested near his home in Jupiter Island, Fla., after his Land Rover rolled over. According to an arrest affidavit, deputies found hydrocodone pills in Woods’ pocket and observed several signs they believed indicated impairment.

Woods was initially charged with DUI, causing property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful urine test. He pleaded not guilty on March 31.

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The golfer later received permission from the court to leave the country for treatment. He spent six weeks in Switzerland from April through early May before returning to the U.S.

Woods has continued to deal with significant health challenges in recent years, including injuries stemming from his 2021 car crash that almost resulted in his leg being amputated.

Despite those setbacks, he has remained focused on returning to competitive golf. A source previously told PEOPLE that Woods was determined to play again, though his recovery and pain management would make a return to the course challenging.

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Source: “AOL Sports”