The sun was shining outside President Donald Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course on Saturday morning when Alan Mentser received a call informing him that police were closing a nearby road. It was almost time to “show some support to the boss.”
Mentser, 65, along with a group of dedicated supporters, have been meeting at the same location for years to greet Trump when he visits the golf course, and they have established a routine. They monitor flight trackers to track Air Force One’s arrival and traffic cameras to check for the presidential motorcade’s movement.
It involves a significant investment of time and money for a fleeting moment with their political idol. Mentser gestured towards a large banner depicting Trump giving a thumbs up against an American flag backdrop. He mentioned that each banner costs $300, and he has about eight of them.
But for Mentser, the effort is worthwhile at a time when supporters see Trump as a man besieged by his adversaries and manufactured controversies.
“It might give him 30 seconds of seeing, ‘there’s my people,’” he said. “But those 30 seconds count.”
The time had come to do it all over again. The signal was a siren as a police car blocked the road in front of the golf club.
“Here we go!” Mentser exclaimed. As he caught a glimpse of the motorcade in the distance, he declared, “attention on deck.”
A member of the group switched the soundtrack on a portable speaker from country music to “YMCA,” the Trump campaign anthem.
The convoy of black cars approached and turned into the golf club. Trump was sporting his trademark red “Make America Great Again” hat and white polo shirt, waving to the crowd with his left hand.
“President Trump! We love you!” shouted Brady Collier, 31, who sported the same hat as the president.
The encounter lasted less than 30 seconds.
A woman with white hair arrived shortly after, with her windows down and a dog in the passenger seat. She flashed one middle finger at the golf club and another at Trump’s supporters. Before driving off, someone called her a “baby killer.”
However, the incident did not diminish Collier’s enthusiasm. Despite witnessing Trump’s motorcade multiple times, he mentioned that “today was special.” This time, the limo appeared to move slower and closer to the sidewalk, providing Collier with a better view of the president.
“There’s nothing cooler than that,” he remarked. “Other than Jesus Christ.”
Collier, 31, hails from Indiana but spent the winter in Florida, where he is involved in landscaping and food deliveries. It also gives him the opportunity to demonstrate his support for Trump as frequently as possible.
Jared Petry, 24, has been engaged in a similar endeavor. Hailing from Ohio, he is one of the “Front Row
Upon finishing their meal, Mentser mentioned that such an experience had never occurred before. They enjoyed freshly made omelets and blueberry muffins and strolled onto the veranda overlooking Trump playing golf on one of the holes of his course. The group decided not to seek Trump’s attention, as Mentser pointed out, “You wouldn’t want the president to claim on Truth Social that ‘my supporters disrupted my game while I was lining up my putt.'” Reflecting on the entire encounter, Mentser described it as “remarkable.” He added, “It’s a humble gesture from him to express gratitude and acknowledge our presence.”
