Trump's New Jersey golf club hit with 18 health code violations, scores lowest in county-wide inspection
BEDMINSTER, NEW JERSEY: While President Donald Trump visits his luxe Bedminster golf resort in New Jersey this summer, he might want to pop into the kitchen because things behind the scenes seem to be in a mess.
According to a Wednesday, June 4 report from Forbes, the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster just received 18 health code violations during a routine inspection by the Somerset County Department of Health. Nine of those were considered critical.
The inspection happened on May 6, and the report wasn’t exactly flattering. The club scored a measly 32 out of 100 possible points—the worst grade in the entire county.
But the folks running the place think something’s fishy. David Schutzenhofer, the General Manager at Bedminster, fired back in a statement to the Daily Mail. “Never before have we witnessed such visceral hostility from the health department. This is clearly nothing more than a politically motivated attack," he declared.
Schutzenhofer defended the resort’s image. “We operate one of the most immaculate golf facilities in the country, and we take immense pride in our standards of cleanliness, safety, and hospitality," he said.
Expired milk, meat over cheese, no soap at Donald Trump's golf club
Inspectors supposedly found multiple things at Donald Trump's New Jersey golf club that led to the brutal report card.
To start, there was expired milk in the kitchen—three days past its use-by date. The raw meat was improperly stored above cheese, reportedly violating the rule that raw meats and eggs should be kept away from ready-to-eat foods.
The club also racked up four separate violations related to hand-washing. Some sinks didn’t have soap or paper towels.
Furthermore, no one on staff had the required "food manager level certification" when the inspection took place. That’s a hard no from the health department.
Because of all this, the club was slapped with a “conditionally satisfactory” C grade, and they’re required to hang that report where everyone can see it. They’ve been given until May 20 to clean up their act before another inspection comes knocking.
Of course, they’ll have to pay a reinspection fee too.
This isn't Bedminster’s first brush with health department
This isn’t the first time Donald Trump’s New Jersey getaway has flunked the cleanliness test. Back in August 2017, when Trump was just wrapping up his first summer as president, NJ.com reported that Bedminster had been flagged for at least 17 health code violations between 2011 and 2016.
The laundry list of issues included "significant fly activity" in both the pool and main kitchens, dirty utensils caked with "old and encrusted food buildup," melons stored at the wrong temperature, grimy wiping cloths, grease-covered fryer units, and uncovered, spilled food bins.
There was even a recurring issue with the club’s dishwasher. Inspectors noted it may not be reaching the minimum 180 degrees Fahrenheit required for proper sanitation—it maxed out at just 170.
Trump notably has had a long-standing beef with water pressure on showers and dishwashers. He famously ranted during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago in January, “And they want to do no, no water comes out of the shower. It goes drip, drip, drip. So what happens? You’re in the shower ten times as long, you know, no water comes out of the faucet.”
Trump added, “But these are all things they want. Very, very little water to go into your dishwasher. Almost none. And you know what people do? They just keep pressing, pressing, pressing. Keep it going. They end up using more water.”
Still, back then, the violations were minor enough that the restaurant scored a “satisfactory” grade and never had to shut its doors.
A summer staple with presidential history
Bedminster isn’t just any old golf club—it’s Donald Trump’s home away from Mar-a-Lago when Florida gets too steamy. The private club opened in 2004 and has been a personal favorite for Trump through both his pre- and post-presidency days.
He hosted a few press conferences there during the 2024 campaign. After his 2016 win, Bedminster was even the site of key Cabinet interviews.
What's more? The Bedminster grounds are also the final resting place of Trump’s first wife Ivana. She was buried there in July 2022.
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