Uncharted waters
Donald Trump has always looked for ways to stay in the limelight and come across as an average Joe by attending a whole host of sporting events over the years.
From actively getting into the WWE wrestling ring to attending UFC fights and New York Yankees games, it’s hard to know where the line blurs between his genuine sporting interest and his attempt to drum up attention.
the first sitting US president to attend the NFL’s landmark game
The president announced that he will attend Sunday’s Super Bowl in New Orleans, making him the first sitting US president to attend the NFL’s landmark game. This could become a new norm for POTUS during his second term, despite the extra headache it will pose for security teams.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup taking place in North America and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Trump no doubt will insert himself into both events and try to take over proceedings.
A lifelong love of baseball
Trump has long supported the New York Yankees, despite growing up in Queens, the home of the New York Mets.
He attended many games over the years and was a close friend of former owner George Steinbrenner, regularly watching games from the owner’s suite. He even threw the first pitch at a fierce rivalry game between the Boston Red Sox and Yankees at Fenway Park in 2006.
came close to owning part of the San Francisco Giants
Trump reportedly came close to owning part of the San Francisco Giants in 1985 with the plan to relocate the franchise to New Jersey, though this obviously never came to fruition.
Rumors also surfaced in 2011 that the Queens native was considering a bid for the New York Mets, although Major League Baseball doesn’t allow owners to own casinos, which would have been a stumbling block at the time. Then, in 2014, he offered $1bn for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills before the bidding reached $1.4bn.
When asked in 2015 which team he would buy if he could, he didn’t hesitate in saying the Yankees.
Combat sports
Trump made a brief foray into the world of boxing in the late 1980s and early 1990s, hosting many big bouts at the casinos he used to own in Atlantic City. The job of a fight promoter is to entertain, something which Trump certainly knows how to do.
Some of the most memorable moments of the president’s sporting event attendance include the dozen times he appeared on WWE shows. He hosted WrestleMania on two occasions, the company’s flagship event. He even shaved Vince McMahon’s head in the ring and physically took down the organization’s leader:
One might say that Trump’s rallies during his recent presidential campaign began to resemble professional wrestling shows.
Wrestling with the NFL
Trump hasn’t always seen eye to eye with the NFL, acting as a rival for a time with his USFL team ownership that led to lengthy legal action and the dissolution of the rival football league. Then, in September 2017, he called on Americans to boycott the NFL over its handling of anthem protests by players.
hasn’t yet commented on which team he’d like to win on Sunday
The president hasn’t yet commented on which team he’d like to win on Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs are 1.5-point favorites to beat the Philadelphia Eagles, and its players have been bombarded with Trump-related questions since the announcement.
After seemingly praising his track record as a winner, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the odds-on favorite to be the Super Bowl LIX MVP, said that it will be cool playing in front of someone in the top position in the country.
It’s hard to know what reaction Donald Trump will get in the Superdome on Sunday with Travis Kelce’s girlfriend, the legendary musical artist Taylor Swift, expected to share an equal amount of air time when the cameras pan to the crowd.
Looking to the future
Many politicians and governments have used major sporting events as platforms to change perceptions about themselves. Most recently, French President Emmanuel Macron gave a rousing speech at the opening ceremony of the Paris Summer Olympics last year. He is still clinging onto power despite a big heave by political opponents.
Part of Trump’s second term will encompass the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place mostly in the US. A handful of games will be played in Mexico and Canada, but the final is in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with Trump more than likely to attend.
Then there is the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Trump will have the world’s attention when he inevitably integrates himself into the opening ceremonies of these historic contests.