The news surrounding Tiger Woods is relentless. After confirming in a social media post that he is dating Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr., the 15-time major champion golfer requested privacy. “Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together,” Woods wrote on X. He added, “At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.”
Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together. At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts. pic.twitter.com/ETONf1pUmI
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) March 23, 2025
Woods was first seen with Vanessa Trump—who was married to Don Jr. from 2005 to 2018—at his Genesis Invitational tournament at Torrey Pines in San Diego last month. Many believe they met through their children, who both attend the Benjamin School in Palm Beach, Florida, where Kai Trump and Charlie Woods compete in junior golf events. However, as shown by the media’s reaction to Woods’ mother’s death and his recent ruptured Achilles tendon, privacy is a rare commodity for him. As one of the most scrutinized athletes, the notion that he could date someone closely linked to the First Family and escape the spotlight seems improbable.
The absurdity of Woods’ privacy request was quickly highlighted by Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy, who tweeted, “Tiger asking for privacy for dating Don Jr ex-wife is an all-time ridiculous request.”
Tiger asking for privacy for dating Don Jr ex wife is an all time ridiculous request. https://t.co/ZUyvLHvdvX
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) March 24, 2025
If the sports and news media were reluctant to grant Woods privacy amid past reports of addiction and infidelity, it seems unlikely they will respect his wishes regarding coverage of his high-profile relationship, particularly with his new partner’s former father-in-law currently serving as president.
While we can debate the ethics of tabloid reporting and its impact on athletes like Woods, a single tweet is unlikely to change how mainstream publications cover their relationship, not to mention the sensationalized outlets like TMZ and the New York Post.
