Our Reporter Mike Schmidt on His Golf Club Interview With President Trump
We were seated at a table next to the president and a few minutes into our meal, Mr. Ruddy, who runs the conservative website
and television channel Newsmax, went over to say hello to Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump immediately told me that there was no collusion between his associates
and Russia’s effort to influence the election — something he would repeat 15 more times during the interview.
But that afternoon, I went to Mr. Trump’s golf club with his longtime confidant Christopher Ruddy, who had invited me for lunch.
I went back to my table with Mr. Ruddy and two other guests he had for lunch: Andrew J.
Stein, a former Manhattan borough president, and Lee Lipton, a local restaurant owner.
The president, in black pants and a white golf shirt, sat down with his golf
partners for the day, including his son Eric and the pro-golfer Jim Herman.
He took off his white hat, “45” emblazoned in black on the side, ordered a salad and began talking politics to his golf partners.
The president appeared excited to see Mr. Ruddy, who often goes on cable television to defend him.
