U.S. President Donald Trump, and NBA legend Michael Jordan, shared different reactions after watching Team USA drop an early 3-1 loss to Team Europe in the ongoing Ryder Cup at the treacherous Bethpage Black golf course in New York on the 26th of September.
USA’s Ryder Cup campaign got off to a bruising start Friday morning as Europe stormed into a big lead after the opening foursomes. On a damp, overcast morning in New York, the European pairings looked sharper from the first tee, with Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton setting the tone in a fiery clash that silenced the home crowd.
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood delivered another point in clinical fashion, while Viktor Hovland teamed with Robert MacIntyre to grind down the trusted U.S. duo of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. The only bright spot for Keegan Bradley’s side came from world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and steady partner Russell Henley, who combined power and precision to hand Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick a defeat.
Europe’s early dominance underlined the confidence of Luke Donald’s defending champions, leaving the Americans already playing catch-up in golf’s fiercest rivalry. And, while Jordan looked at the worst, Trump, instead, focused on the best.
Donald Trump & Michael Jordan React to Team USA Ryder Cup Performance
Team USA’s 3–1 deficit in the opening foursomes stemmed from wayward driving, misfiring new pairings, and missed putts on Bethpage’s slick greens.
While Europe leaned on proven duos like Rahm/Hatton and McIlroy/Fleetwood, the Americans lacked rhythm and failed to convert scoring chances. The energy imbalance was striking—Europe thrived under pressure and fed off the crowd, while the U.S. looked tentative. Only Scheffler and Henley provided resistance, leaving the hosts already playing catch-up.
Jordan perhaps noticed this more than anyone else, and said the following via Yahoo Sports:
“We got problems.”
Trump, meanwhile, reacted completely differently. The sitting president sounded optimistic that Keegan Bradley’s side could pull themselves back from the brink, telling reporters the following:
“We’re going to get it done. One way or another, we’ll get it done.”
After the 3–1 loss in the opening session, Team USA faces an uphill battle at Bethpage Black. With Jordan warning “we got problems” and Trump vowing “we’ll get it done,” the stage is set for a tense weekend as Europe seeks to defend its crown.