Trump plans Super Bowl visit after years of tumult with the NFL
Author of the article:
Article content
Donald Trump has been an NFL competitor and a critic. He’s allied with some league titans while feuding with others. Now he’s planning to use football as another way to play to the crowd: By attending the Super Bowl.
Trump would be the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl in the event’s 59-year history. He plans to attend the championship game in Louisiana between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday evening, a White House official said.
Recommended Videos
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Trump plans Super Bowl visit after years of tumult with the NFL Back to video
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Trump has been posting and talking about the game, praising key stars without actually naming them — likely Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — and avoiding rooting for a particular team. He strongly alluded to his plans to attend when he congratulated Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on the birth of his third child this week, adding “See you Sunday!”
Trump’s attendance is also paired with the revival of another tradition: the pre-game presidential interview, which will be conducted by Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier and air before the game.
But his presence alone will be the latest in his intermingling of the country’s most popular sport with the political arena. In his first term, Trump was the chief critic of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem as a protest against policy brutality.
This year’s Super Bowl comes as the league sands down its diversity efforts. As Trump erases DEI programs from the federal government and schools, the NFL made its own changes and replaced the signs that said “End Racism” in the end-zone with other alternatives.
Trump was an owner in the defunct USFL, playing a key role in the league’s failed attempt to challenge the NFL. Trump also bid on the Buffalo Bills a decade ago.
Trump has also critiqued the latest rule changes on kickoffs, which are designed to minimize injury risk and criticized Commissioner Roger Goodell.
The president is also feuding with pop star Taylor Swift, Kelce’s girlfriend, who supported Democratic nominee Kamala Harris the 2024 campaign. “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” Trump posted at the time.
Yet he and Swift may be cheering the same team due to Trump’s beef with the Eagles. Trump canceled their Super Bowl celebration at the White House during his first term when many players declined to attend. Trump avoided congratulating the Eagles on winning the NFC championship.
He did congratulate the Chiefs on their AFC victory, praising Coach Andy Reid and Mahomes as well.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.