Gunboats and air cover. That’s reportedly what it will take to secure Doonbeg next month, and it’s already got Irish officials worried. The 2026 Amgen Irish Open is still over a month away, but President Donald Trump has already helped the tournament make headlines. The 80-year-old, who owns the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, County Clare, is reportedly heading to the Republic of Ireland next month for two days during the tournament. However, the trip has reportedly left Irish officials scrambling, with ministers growing increasingly uneasy about how the country will manage it.

“This visit takes place in a very different world,” a minister said, as per the Irish Central. “In the current security dispensation, there are going to have to be gunboats outside of Doonbeg and air cover. We do not have the resources for that.”

Trump’s 2019 stopover at Doonbeg set the tone: it reportedly cost Irish taxpayers around €10 million, with 1,000 extra Gardaí sent to Clare and Limerick and the Army, Navy and Air Corps all called in. A US warship and a nuclear submarine reportedly stood watch offshore, and a no-fly zone went up over the area. Trump’s own resort later billed Irish police over €100,000 for food and overtime during the visit.

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“Nothing has been confirmed, but any visit will be centered on the Open,” said another minister. “All of his pals, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau, are coming.”

This lack of security at Doonbeg is a real problem, and not a new one. Ireland already spends less on defence, as a share of GDP, than almost any other country in Europe, and its Defence Forces are thousands of personnel short of where they’re supposed to be. On top of that, the country is gearing up to host the EU Council presidency later this year, which is stretching Garda and military resources even further, and a drone incident near Dublin in December raised doubts about whether Ireland can secure high-profile events at all. According to a senior Government source, the Irish Central reports there’s another complication too.

“It would be great if we could corral him in the southwest,” the source said. “But unfortunately, he wants to open the Embassy too for his friend Ed [Edward Walsh]. The problem will be: what do we give him to do between events? Where do you put him when he’s off the golf course?”

Walsh is the US Ambassador to Ireland. A New Jersey construction executive, he’s also a member of Trump’s Bedminster club, where he’s won six championships himself. Trump named him to the post in 2025, and he’s already caused a stir in Irish political circles.

Trump may also want to take part in formal events during his time in the country, which is another worry for officials. A senior political source said their strategy is basically to keep him out of Leinster House and on the golf course as much as possible.

This comes after Donald Trump himself described Doonbeg as “one of the best, most beautiful golf courses anywhere in the world” in a pre-recorded video for the US Embassy at Dublin’s July 4 celebrations last month. 

“I think I’m going to come over and I’m going to see it. We’re going to watch Rory [McIlroy] and all the great players. It will be something very, very special,” Trump said.

Ireland’s Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said last year that Donald Trump is welcome to visit the country during the Irish Open. And this won’t be the first time Donald Trump has visited the country, having traveled there back in 2019, when he spent two days at Doonbeg. 

The tournament itself will begin on Thursday, September 10, marking the first time the Irish Open has been held at a Trump-owned course. Although an official field for the tournament hasn’t been revealed, some names are expected to tee it up next month at Doonbeg. That includes Rory McIlroy, who is the defending champion, Shane Lowry, Tom McKibbin, Séamus Power, Pádraig Harrington, Luke Donald, Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Højgaard, and Nicolai Højgaard.

Trump’s taste for winning on his own courses extends beyond Doonbeg. He recently claimed another title much closer to home, at a club he owns outright in New Jersey.

Donald Trump responds after winning the 43rd club championship

Trump won the club championship at his Bedminster golf club, his 43rd title of that kind, taking both the Senior and Super Senior divisions with a score of 70. During the ceremony, an announcer told the crowd, “Please join me in congratulating the President of the United States for winning the Super Senior and Senior division with a great score of 70.”

Trump celebrated on Truth Social, sharing a video of his final shot: “The Winning Shot in the Bedminster Club Championship! Thank you very much to all of those who participated. I won with a score of 70, and am so honored in that, unlike the rest of the field, I’m given very little time to practice, because I’m focused on many other things. It’s called TALENT, and I have it, and they don’t!”

Sports writer Rick Reilly accused Trump of cheating in his book Commander in Cheat; Trump has denied the allegations.

Nothing about the trip is confirmed yet. Ireland is still dealing with the fallout from the 2019 security bill, and its defence and Garda resources are already stretched thin. Add an ambassador who keeps landing officials in awkward spots, and it’s easy to see why ministers are bracing rather than celebrating. The real test will be whether Dublin formally confirms the visit in the coming weeks, and whether it can actually keep Trump on the golf course and away from Leinster House.