At first glance, business is as usual at Trump National Golf Club. But behind the perfectly polished image of the Bedminster, New Jersey-based club, a complex legal battle is unfolding that threatens to disrupt its operations and put its future in jeopardy. State authorities are scrutinizing the club’s liquor licenses, raising questions about who truly benefits from the sales and whether the club can continue serving alcohol at all.

The club, owned by President Donald Trump, is under serious review by the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control due to the legal shadow cast by Trump’s 34-count conviction for falsifying business records in New York last year. And under New Jersey law, anyone convicted of a crime involving “moral turpitude” is prohibited from holding a liquor license. Though the state has granted a last-minute extension on June 30 allowing the club to sell alcohol for six months while its liquor licenses are being reviewed, this extension doesn’t come out without strict conditions. “It comes with hefty conditions, though, that require the clubs to put proceeds from liquor sales in an untouched account, separate from the clubs’ other income, and prohibit any members of the LLCs that own the liquor licenses from profiting off the sales,” a report from The Independent mentioned.

“As of now, the golf clubs’ liquor licenses are held by two separate LLCs, which are owned by the Trump Organization, which is operated by the president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump,” it further read. The New Jersey Attorney General confirmed that President Trump was determined to be a direct beneficiary of the club’s liquor sales given the two LLCs being listed under Trump’s revocable trust, a key reason the licenses are being scrutinized in the first place. But now, it means that no one in the Trump Organization, including Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, can see a cent from liquor profits during this review period.

The state has made it clear — if the Trump National Golf Club wants to keep serving liquor past the extension, they need to deliver complete transparency. “President Trump’s course and LLCs have until September 30 to provide information about ‘the corporate structure, ownership, and beneficiary interests’ of the club,” officials stated. Failure to do so?

A complete revocation of the liquor licenses, a potentially embarrassing and financially damaging blow for the club and the President himself.

Donald Trump’s golf empire

President Trump purchased the 520-acre Bedminster estate in 2002 for under $35 million, acquiring what was then a struggling property that had once belonged to auto magnate John DeLorean. With the help of renowned golf course designers, he transformed the land into a 36-hole luxury golf destination and opened it in 2004. Since then, Trump National Golf Club Bedminster has grown into one of the most prestigious private clubs in the country, known for its exclusivity, manicured fairways, and high-profile guests, including political fundraisers and even presidential events.

But Bedminster is just one piece of a much larger empire. Donald Trump now owns over 20 golf courses across the U.S. and abroad. In July 2025, he opened a new course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. And in a notable milestone for next season, Trump’s golf properties will play host to events on both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf Tour for the first time in the same year. Are you excited?