Buffalo Bills player cancels event at Trump golf course, citing 'external pressures'
Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer canceled his charity event at a golf course owned by former President Trump due to “external pressures” on participants and the event's beneficiary.
In an Instagram post Saturday, Poyer shared he had to cancel his annual charity event at the Blue Monster at Trump National in Doral, Fla., due to the event’s location.
“Unfortunately, the location of the event led to a few sponsors and golfers withdrawing at the last minute due to external pressures. While it’s disappointing, I respect their decision. Nevertheless, we will persevere,” said Poyer, who was named to his first Pro Bowl last season.
“Next offseason, we will host this event with unwavering dedication, ensuring that it remains free from any external distractions. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you.”
Poyer’s charity event was set to take place next month. According to the Buffalo News, the event was set to benefit the ECMC Foundation, which Poyer described as a sponsor for his event.
Based in Los Angeles, the foundation aims "to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations," according to its website.
In a statement, the organization told the Buffalo News that the foundation was the "fortunate" beneficiary, not a sponsor.
“ECMC Foundation was fortunate to be a beneficiary of Jordan Poyer’s golf tournament in Florida,” ECMC Foundation executive director Susan Gonzalez told the newspaper. “Although the Foundation was not a sponsor, we have had an excellent partnership with Jordan and we respect his decision to cancel his tournament; we hope he will consider supporting us in his future events."
This isn’t the first time Trump-owned golf courses have made headlines. The PGA of America cut ties with Trump and moved its 2022 PGA championship away from his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf course just days after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, according to Yahoo! News.