WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The sun beamed down on President Donald Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course early Saturday when Alan Mentser received a call, alerting him to a nearby road closure instigated by police. The signal was clear: it was time to greet their leader.
Mentser, 65, together with a loyal group of Trump supporters, habitually gathered at this very location to catch a glimpse whenever Trump decided to play golf. They had perfected their routine, using flight tracking devices to detect Air Force One’s arrival and monitoring traffic cameras for the movement of the presidential convoy.
Such dedication demanded substantial investment, both of time and financial resources, for a fleeting glance of their political icon. Pointing to an enormous banner featuring Trump giving a thumbs up against the American flag, Mentser shared that such a display costs $300 each, and he owns about eight.
However, Mentser believed the expense was justified, especially when Trump was perceived as being besieged by enemies and embroiled in concocted scandals.
“It might provide him with 30 seconds of seeing, ‘there’s my people,’” he affirmed. “Yet those 30 seconds hold significance.”
The occasion to perform their ritual once more arrived, heralded by a siren as a police car blocked off the roadway leading to the golf club.
“Here we go!” declared Mentser, and upon spotting the motorcade approaching from afar, he proclaimed, “attention on deck.”
A fellow supporter switched the music playing from a portable speaker from country tunes to “YMCA,” the Trump campaign’s anthem.
As black cars of the convoy passed, turning onto the golf club’s premises, Trump sported his distinctive red “Make America Great Again” hat paired with a white polo shirt, and he reached out, waving to his crowd of admirers with his left hand.
“President Trump! We love you!” yelled Brady Collier, 31, donning a hat identical to the one on Trump’s head.
The moment concluded in under 30 seconds.
Shortly thereafter, a woman with white hair drove up, windows down, and a dog seated in her passenger seat. She extended one middle finger towards the golf club and another towards Trump’s enthusiasts. In response, someone labeled her a “baby killer” as she departed.
The incident did not dampen Collier’s spirits. Having observed Trump’s motorcade numerous times, he declared, “today was special.” He noted that on this occasion, the limousine seemed to roll slower and stay closer to the sidewalk, affording him an enhanced view of the president.
“There’s nothing cooler than that,” Collier stated. “Other than Jesus Christ.”
Originally from Indiana, 31-year-old Collier opted to spend the winter in Florida, working in landscaping and food deliveries while seizing opportunities to express his allegiance to Trump as frequently as feasible.
Jared Petry, 24, also follows this routine. Hailing from Ohio, he is among the “Front Row Joes,” a devoted group of Trump superfans that traversed the nation supporting him at campaign rallies. Petry recalled being in Butler, Pennsylvania, last summer, during an attempted assassination of the president.
“I heard popping. I didn’t know what was going on,” he recounted.
Positioned near the front, Petry managed to film Trump, surrounded by Secret Service agents, springing to his feet and triumphantly pumping his fist into the air.
“I knew he was OK,” he added.
Now, Petry regularly gathers outside the golf course each weekend.
“He never forgets his supporters,” he expressed fondly. “He waves at us.”
Post-rally, the group discussed heading to a nearby eatery, a spot occasionally graced by Fox News host Sean Hannity. Yet this time, something unexpected transpired. Staff from the golf club approached to invite them in for a meal.
Mentser noted this was unprecedented. They relished freshly made omelets and blueberry muffins, later emerging onto the veranda where they could observe Trump enjoying a game at one of the golf course’s holes.
The group wisely refrained from attempting to capture Trump’s attention, Mentser explained.
“You don’t want the president posting on Truth Social saying ‘I was lining up my putt, and my supporters disrupted my game,’” he jested.
Later, Trump shared on social media he was involved in a tournament alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb, discussing potential U.S. acquisitions of icebreaker vessels.
Inside the club, artwork cleverly referenced Trump’s mugshot amid a criminal case in Atlanta, alongside an infamous photo from Butler.
Reflecting on the entire encounter, Mentser described it as “tremendous.”
“It’s a small way for him to say thank you, I see you,” he concluded.