Kai Trump has shared a heartbreaking update with fans, revealing that she recently underwent surgery two months into her first year of college on a golf scholarship.
The 19-year-old golf hopeful, and granddaughter of President Donald Trump, sustained a wrist injury during her first tournament of the season and decided to undergo surgery for her "long-term health and my future in the game I love."
© Kai Trump
"It’s certainly not how I envisioned the next few months, but sometimes the journey takes an unexpected turn, and I’m choosing to embrace this one with patience, and a whole lot of determination," the teen captioned a post on Instagram, which featured a picture of Kai in the hospital bed wearing a cast and a black sling.
Kai's recovery time
"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 continued, revealing that family and coaches helped her to make the decision.
"Having the right people by your side makes all the difference, and I couldn’t be more grateful."
She concluded by sharing she was "trusting the process" and hoped to be "back before you know it, stronger and more grateful than ever!"
© AFP via Getty Images
Kai receives support from stepmom Bettina
Kai, the eldest daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and his first wife Vanessa, was supported in the comments by stepmom Bettina, who added a series of heart-hand emojis.
Bettina married Don Jr. earlier in 2026.
A tough few months for Kai
© Instagram
Kai received a sports scholarship to the University of Miami, where she hopes to compete as part of the college's golf team.
However, her first few months have not been easy; her first week at college was cut short when she was forced to return home after suffering from Strep throat.
She documented her first few weeks as a freshman in a vlog posted on YouTube, sharing that she went "all the way back to Jupiter because I was so sick I needed my mom to nurse me back to health."
© YouTube
Jupiter is a three-hour drive north from Miami.
Later in the video, Kai showed off her new apartment and documented her first days of golf practice and class. She was also visited by friends who dropped off prepared frozen meals, with Kai telling viewers that she"hadn't eaten in three days."
"It's all pre-cooked so she doesn't have to do anything crazy," said the friend, Emma. "She's living off of diet sodas, so I got her fruit and prosciutto and we got her some pasta and bread and stuff, like basic foods, she's basically living off of diet soda."