There were loud boos at Commanders Stadium. This Sunday, President Trump attended the game between the Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions, becoming the first inauguration president to watch an NFL regular season game.
When the President of the United States arrived, some spectators booed loudly when he appeared on the giant screen standing in the box with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the end of the first half, and when the stadium announcer introduced him at halftime.
The boos continued during halftime as Trump read the oath that military personnel are required to recite as part of their on-field induction ceremony.
The Washington, D.C., area is heavily Democratic, and President Trump’s layoffs are impacting many workers in the area near Commanders Stadium.
Sunday was not the first time Trump received a hostile reception from the public in Washington, where he was greeted with chants of “Lock him up!” At Washington Nationals Stadium during the 2019 Baseball World Series.
In the first quarter of the game, before President Trump arrived, wide receiver Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown (wide receiver) held the reception. touchdown Some players pointed at the stands and waved their arms in the “Trump Dance” style that they started last year.
During the third quarter, President Trump had a relaxed conversation lasting approximately eight minutes with Fox commentators Kenny Albert and Jonathan Burma. Albert began by asking Trump about his time playing football at the New York Military Academy.
“I played tight end, but it was very different from this football. It was a little bit easier. It wasn’t as tough,” Trump said.
According to the NFL, a president has attended an NFL game only twice during the regular season: Richard Nixon in 1969. Trump also witnessed the Philadelphia Eagles’ 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs last February, becoming the first president to attend the Super Bowl while in the White House.
ESPN reported that a White House mediator told the managers’ ownership group that President Trump wants the team’s new stadium, part of a roughly $4 billion project on the site of the former RFK Stadium in the U.S. capital, to be named after him.
President Trump spoke about his team’s plans to return to Washington in a television appearance Sunday. “They’re going to build a beautiful stadium. I’m involved in that, handling the permits and everything. And they have a great owner, Josh (Harris) and his group. We’re going to see some very good things.”
Sunday’s visit was the latest in a series of Trump appearances at sporting events, including golf’s Ryder Cup, Daytona 500 auto race and tennis’ U.S. Open.
“I love it. It’s a microcosm of life,” President Trump said of sports on Sunday’s broadcast. “It’s like life itself, the good, the bad and the ugly.”
Before the game, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Harris, the leader of the group that acquired the command from Daniel Snyder in 2023 for about $6 billion, and participated in an on-field ceremony with military officials.
Hegseth was among those who watched the game against President Trump, along with Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana.
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