If there’s one thing a college student who plays golf for her university doesn’t want, it’s a setback in the form of major arm surgery. But when Kai Trump had to have wrist surgery, taking her out of the game for a while, she shared an update on social media to let people know she is handling it better than others might.
Kai posted about her surgery and recovery on Instagram, including a selfie from the hospital bed (she is Gen Z, after all) and a statement about her recovery and what it means for her swing. She originally planned to attend the University of Miami under a scholarship to play for the Miami Hurricanes women’s golf team. This setback doesn’t seem to worry Donald Trump’s eldest grandchild much.
Kai Trump’s surgery requires extensive recovery time.
Kai may have gone to the University of Miami to improve her swing and move forward in her potential professional golf career, but she sustained a wrist injury during her first tournament of the season. She wrote in her Instagram caption that she plans to deal with the temporary setback with “determination” as she recovers.
“Recovery will take time, but I’m incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by amazing people who continue to lift me up, encourage me, and remind me that every challenge is an opportunity to grow,” she wrote. “Having the right people by your side makes all the difference, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
It’s not a bad mindset for a college golfer to have, considering that Kai will have to sit out more tournaments during her first year of college.
One fan commented, “The stronger you heal that injury the longer and better you’ll be playing in the future. So sacrifice no play for a year.”
It’s not clear how long of a break Kai will take from golf, but full recovery can take several months, depending on how serious the injury and surgery are. Kai hasn’t given a timeline for her own recovery; however, she does seem up for the challenge of taking as much time as is necessary.
Kai Trump had surgery on her arm before.
Kai’s fall 2026 surgery isn’t the only one that set her back a bit on her golf aspirations. In January 2026, she posted on Instagram about undergoing surgery to correct issues regarding tendons in her left wrist.
At the time, she wrote, “Today, I underwent left wrist surgery to address injuries to the stabilizing tissues of my ECU tendon and damage to my triangular fibrocartilage complex. Dr. Thomas Graham, Chief of Jefferson Orthopedics, successfully performed the surgery at the Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute. I look forward to my rehab ahead in the coming months. I am excited for the ability to play golf pain-free!”
Although she did have rehab ahead of her for her surgery at the time, months later, she was playing golf again. It seems that her October 2026 surgery from a golf injury the previous month is another setback she will overcome.
Her golf career is important to her outside of college.
Kai has plenty of career aspirations, but golf is high on her list of professional goals. In 2025, before she started college, she told Fox News Digital that being a professional golfer is “100%” her plan.
“The more golf I play, the better I’ll do,” Kai said at the time. “Getting experience. Miami gave me a great opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to that.”
If the golf career doesn’t work out, Kai always has YouTube. And being a Trump. And pretty much anything else she might want to pursue outside of sports.
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