Donald Trump reacts to a good shot during his round of golf with David Wright from the Mets, Johnny Damon from the Rays, and Derek Lowe from the Braves at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011. The round of golf will be featured on the Golf Channel's “Donald J. Trump’s Fabulous World of Golf.” Donald Trump reacts to a good shot during his round of golf with David Wright from the Mets, Johnny Damon from the Rays, and Derek Lowe from the Braves at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011. The round of golf will be featured on the Golf Channel’s “Donald J. Trump’s Fabulous World of Golf.” 021311 Spt Trump 1 Jpg

Count Donald Trump in as a supporter of LIV Golf, with the former President recently praising the Saudi-backed league for what it’s doing to the PGA Tour.

Trump issued a statement on his Truth Social platform, writing, “So INTERESTING to see the PGA Tour finally start to treat its players fairly now that the LIV Tour has opened to such a big BANG!”

“They have finally increased purses to players, substantially, and I am sure will soon be reducing their massive executive salaries in order to make things work,” Trump continued. “The players are now asking, however, why didn’t they raise the purses long ago? Also, what will happen to the TREMENDOUSLY valuable Tax Exempt Status that the PGA Tour now enjoys?”

Despite Trump’s praise, LIV Golf has been under mass scrutiny for being funded by Saudi money. Considering Saudi Arabia’s human rights concerns, generating billions of dollars from oil and slave labor, its participants have been criticized for acting as a tool in sportswashing.

The PGA Tour has attempted to draw a line in the sand, saying it’s ‘us or them,’ but they’ve been left attempting to figure out ways of keeping their stars as Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and many other big names have chosen LIV Golf.

Trump’s allegiance shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. The former president fumed over The Tour’s decision to move the 2022 PGA Championship from one of his golf properties because of his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. Trump will, however, allow his properties to be used by LIV Golf, with their season-ending championship taking place at his Doral course in Miami, Florida this October.

About Brandon Contes

Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com