Squabbling At Winged Foot: Members At Odds Over Plans To Honor Trump

Jonathan Allen and Liz Brown-Kaiser of NBC News report that Winged Foot members are at odds over plans for an August 4th banquet tribute to former President Donald Trump. The hosts are Ted Virtue and Paul Queally, who plan to golf with Trump before a “tribute banquet”.

Virtue is the Trump Westchester member who gave up his club championship win for Trump.

From the story:

But some members are furious that the club is moving forward with the plan to honor Trump, according to two sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Those members were angered and disgusted by Trump's role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and his treatment of racial and ethnic minorities, according to a club member who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid retribution from fellow members. Queally repeatedly has been criticized over the years for making misogynistic, homophobic and anti-minority remarks.

The anti-Trump club members have not taken aggressive action to stop the banquet, but they have informally asked members of the board to intervene — to no avail. They believe they are speaking on behalf of employees of the club who are afraid that speaking out would cost them their jobs, the member said.

The story also notes how some of the course will have to be closed for security reasons:

"Club management AND board praying it comes and goes unnoticed," a club member said in a text message. "All pretty hush-hush, and no club announcement. But Secret Service will have to close down some of the course."