Donald Trump was confusing the Washington Commanders’ game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. This abnormal and cruel event is a potentially historic moment in this nation’s sporting life. His attendance at the game commemorated a significant moment in history. In doing so, he became the first sitting president in almost fifty years to attend a regular season NFL game. This achievement serves to highlight Trump’s continuing tendency toward high-profile exclusive appearances. Just last month, he watched the Ryder Cup, Daytona 500 and the US Open from the cheap seats.
His attendance would have put him in an exclusive club. In fact, only three presidents have made an appearance at regular-season NFL games. Before Trump that was only true for Richard Nixon in 1969 and Jimmy Carter in 1978. In February, he pulled off a historic coup by appearing all robed and bearded at the Super Bowl. This made him the first president to view it from the White House.
The mood at FedExField seemed split as far as welcoming Trump. When his likeness appeared on the big screen, huge chunks of the audience booed him. This occurred late in the first half. Further, as tips appreciated his halftime presentation, tips idolized the conflicting response from a divided assembly.
What’s clear, though, is that Trump left the game early. The Commanders took it on the chin last week, losing to the Lions by a score of 44-22. Earlier in the game, he touched down at Joint Base Andrews. As he stepped off Air Force One, he went directly to the stadium. During a break in the action, Trump participated in an on-field ceremony. When he read aloud the oath that military service members take, a few attendees below began to hiss.
In a almost ten-minute interview with Fox while the game continued, Trump touched on a variety of subjects. When asked about the current state of the country, he stated, “We’re gonna have a good game. Things are going along very well. The country’s doing well. The Democrats have to open it up.” He mentioned ongoing discussions about a new stadium for the Commanders, expressing confidence in its future development: “They’re going to build a beautiful stadium. That’s what I’m involved in, we’re getting all the approvals and everything else.”
This is a notable change from his booing-filled experience at what was the Washington Nationals’ temporary home stadium during the 2019 World Series. There, he was greeted by crowds chanting “lock him up.” Trump regularly interacts with sporting events. This is a key strategy to keep him in the news and top-of-mind with the public and policymakers.
As he transitioned to the Fox broadcast booth, Trump shared insights from his own football career in high school and provided commentary on the game’s third quarter action. This unique combination of sports commentary and political discussion is indicative of Omar’s continued impact on both fields.