President Donald Trump jokingly compares PGA Tour-LIV deal to Russia-Ukraine peace talks

President Donald Trump recently sat down with PGA Tour and LIV Golf officials to discuss the ‘reunification’ of golf. The newly elected President joined the talks after declaring his willingness to mediate a deal between the American circuit and the Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund [PIF], who funds LIV.

Despite PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan alongside player directors Adam Scott and Tiger Woods dubbing the White House meeting ‘constructive’, Trump has now hinted that a deal between the conflicting sides is still afar. The President on Tuesday jokingly compared the PGA-PIF deal to the Russia-Ukraine peace talks he’s part of and dubbed the former “much more complicated.”

Here's the exchange between President Trump and reporters at the Oval Office:

Reporter: "What's going to be more challenging: The PGA-LIV deal or Russia-Ukraine deal?"

Trump: "I think the PGA deal is much more complicated."

It is pertinent to note that Trump made the comment with a laugh and made the room, including reporters, have a laugh. Interestingly, the President’s comparison of the PGA-PIF issue to an actual geopolitical war comes almost a year after Rory McIlroy dubbed the former ‘golf’s civil war.’

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Donald Trump optimistic about the PGA-PIF deal

President Donald Trump had invoked confidence in the ‘reunification of golf’ after his meeting with PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf officials. Trump, on Saturday, said there is a ‘good chance’ of resolving the dispute between the sides. He made the comment while speaking to visiting state governors at a White House dinner.

Replying to Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ question about the PGA-PIF deal, Donald Trump said:

“I think there's a good chance that we'll do that. I think there's a very good chance.”

It is pertinent to note that the PGA Tour had dubbed the talk with Trump and LIV Golf Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan as a ‘constructive working session.’ PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan also lauded the new President’s involvement in the talks. The PGA chief released a statement along with Adam Scott and Tiger Woods after the meeting at Washington DC.

The statement from Monahan, Adam Scott and Tiger Woods read:

“We have just concluded a constructive working session at the White House with President Trump and his excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan… Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, we have initiated a discussion about the reunification of golf. We are committed to moving as quickly as possible and will share additional details as appropriate.”

For the unversed, the PGA-PIF deal negotiations began two years ago and had an initial deadline of 31 December 2023. However, this was later extended. Interestingly, Donald Trump has since played host to multiple LIV Golf events held at his golf courses in Bedminster and Miami.