Tiger Woods says he was 'talking to the president' before DUI arrest
Tiger Woods told police officers that he was "talking to the president" shortly after his crash that got him arrested for driving under the influence. (Credit: Martin County Sheriff's Office)
Tiger Woods had at least one friend to lean on shortly after his car crash that wound up in his vehicle rolled over.
Bodycam footage obtained by Fox News Digital showed Woods hanging up his phone, then telling an officer he was "talking to the president."
After the crash, Woods took a phone call and walked down a street for a moment. Woods walked back and forth on the phone before an officer called him to come back over.
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President Donald Trump presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Tiger Woods during an event at the White House Rose Garden in Washington, D.C., on May 6, 2019. (Scott Taetsch/USA TODAY Sports)
"Mr. Woods, let me get you to hang with us down here, please."
"Thank you so much. Alright, you got it. Thank you, bye," Woods said as he ended his phone call.
Woods then asked the officer to repeat what he said, which the officer did.
"Yeah, I was just talking to the president," Woods said calmly.
The shameless plug did not help matters in this situation, as Woods was arrested for driving under the influence. Despite Woods blowing "triple-zeroes" on a breathalyzer, Woods showed signs of impairment and was found with two pills of hydrocodone, a prescription opioid for pain relief.
Tiger Woods poses with his son Charlie Axel Woods, daughter Sam Alexis Woods, U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, after being presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony at the White House in the Rose Garden in Washington, D.C., on May 6, 2019. (Scott Taetsch/USA TODAY Sports)
Woods previously told law enforcement prior to the field sobriety tests that he underwent seven back surgeries and "over 20 operations on his leg." He told law enforcement that "I take a few" prescription medications. In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for the entire year.
President Donald Trump voiced his continued support for Woods, saying in a recent interview that the five-time Masters champion "lives a life of pain."
"He lives a life of pain. He has a lot of pain. He’s an amazing guy. He’s an amazing athlete. He does have pain," Trump added Tuesday of Woods. "He doesn’t have an alcohol problem, but he does have pain."
Vanessa Trump, girlfriend of Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links GC and her daughter Kai Trump talk with Woods before a match against The Bay Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 3, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Cliff Hawkins/TGL/TGL Golf/Getty Images)
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Shortly after the crash, Trump labeled Woods as a "very close friend of mine" with "some difficulty." Woods dates Trump's former daughter-in-law, Vanessa, the mother of the president's granddaughter Kai.
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