Donald Trump became the first sitting US president to attend a Super Bowl, traveling from Florida to New Orleans onboard Air Force on Sunday to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles at the Caesars Superdome.
During his flight to New Orleans, Trump signed a proclamation declaring February 9 “the first ever Gulf of America Day” as Air Force One flew over the body of water that he renamed by proclamation from the Gulf of Mexico.
Before the game, Trump met with participants in the honorary coin toss, including relatives of victims of a New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, local police officers, and emergency personnel.
Trump was met with cheers and a mix of boos as he arrived at the Superdome for the game.
Trump, who has a long history with football, played the sport in high school and owned the New Jersey Generals in the now-defunct United States Football League (USFL) in the 1980s. He later sued the NFL in an attempt to force a merger with the USFL.
During his first term as president, Trump criticized NFL players who kneeled during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. At a 2017 rally in Alabama, he said, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired.'”
Trump watched the Super Bowl from a suite with several Republican lawmakers, including Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott and House Speaker Mike Johnson. He saluted during the national anthem. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ family visited Trump in the suite.
In an interview aired during the Fox News pregame show, Trump predicted a Kansas City victory. “I guess you have to say that when a quarterback wins as much as he’s won, I have to go with Kansas City,” he said. “He’s a great, great quarterback.”
The NFL recently removed “End Racism” slogans from the end zones, a decision some have linked to Trump’s recent order canceling federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. However, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league’s diversity policies are not affected by the administration’s stance. The league replaced the message with “Choose Love” for the Super Bowl, referencing recent tragedies, including the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans.
Trump has longstanding ties to sports beyond football. He is an avid golfer, owns multiple courses, and has hosted tournaments. On the same day as the Super Bowl, he played golf with Tiger Woods in Florida. He has also attended boxing and UFC events. Some NFL team owners have donated to Trump’s campaigns, and he has maintained friendships with former players like Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie.
Last week, Trump signed an order affecting transgender participation in women’s sports by restricting federal funding for schools that do not comply. In a statement before the Super Bowl, he said the Chiefs and Eagles “represent the hopes and dreams of our Nation’s young athletes as we restore safety and fairness in sports and equal opportunities among their teams.”
Taylor Swift gets booed
Taylor Swift attended the Super Bowl again to watch Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
Unlike last year, her reception was different. While she was loudly cheered upon arriving at the game in Las Vegas, this time she was booed by a largely pro-Eagles crowd when shown on the video boards inside the Superdome during a first-quarter break.
Seated next to rapper Ice Spice, Swift reacted with a side-eye and a slight nose wrinkle upon realizing the booing was aimed at her.