From the Oval Office to the Super Bowl.
Donald Trump arrived at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL’s big game. Trump is the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl.
"Well, first of all, I'm very surprised to hear that," Trump told Brett Baier of Fox News when asked why he decided to attend during a recorded pregame interview on Sunday. "I would have assumed many presidents came. But I think just the spirit of the country. The country has taken on a whole new life. I thought it would be a good thing for the country to have the president be at the game."
The president was on the field before the game to meet with families of the victims and first responders from the New Year's Day attack on Bourbon Street.
President Donald Trump meets the families of the victims and first responders from the January 1st terrorist attack in New Orleans. #SBLIX pic.twitter.com/jqPRI6Oyf0
— NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2025
Who is Donald Trump sitting with at the Super Bowl?
Trump is the invited guest of Gayle Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints, according to the New York Times. He was seen in a luxury suite before the game with Benson, his daugter Ivanka Trump, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and others.
Trump -- during his pregame interview on Fox, the network broadcasting this year's game -- predicted that the Chiefs would win the game because of three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes.
"I guess you have to say that when a quarterback wins as much as he has won, I have to go with Kansas City," Trump told Brett Baier of Fox News during a recorded pregame interview on Sunday. "I have to go with Kansas City. At the same time, Philadelphia has a fantastic [team]. It's gonna be just a great game."
Trump, who also attended the Super Bowl in 1992, made a post about the game on Truth Social on Friday.
“Two great Quarterbacks in this game. Also, an unbelievable running back, and the absolute best tight end in football (Ever!). Incredible coaching! If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff ‘deal,’ which actually makes football more dangerous, they would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor. ANYWAY, IT WILL BE A GREAT GAME!!!” Trump wrote.
Mahomes was asked earlier this week about Trump's praise of his play and the president's plans to attend the game.
"It's always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting president, someone that is at the top position in our country," Mahomes told reporters. "I didn't see that clip, but obviously it's cool to hear that he's seen me play football and respects the game that I play."
In a speech on Wednesday, President Trump said his administration was putting every school receiving federal funding on notice that if they “let men take over women’s sports teams” they would “be investigated for violations of Title IX.”
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce shared a similar sentiment in regard to Trump attending the Super Bowl -- despite the president having a contentious past with Kelce's girlfriend Taylor Swift, who also is expected to be in attendance.
"That's awesome. It's a great honor," Kelce said. "I think no matter who the president is, I'm excited because it's the biggest game of my life, and having the president there, it's the best country in the world. So, it will be pretty cool."
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, making his second Super Bowl appearance after falling to the Chiefs two years ago, was also asked about Trump being at the game.
"He's welcome to do what he wants," Hurts said.
Trump’s attendance comes in the wake of his administration rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. For the first time since 2021, the NFL will not stencil the phrase “End Racism” in one of the Super Bowl end zones. The NFL instead will use “Choose Love,” with a league spokesman telling NBC News it an appropriate slogan following the recent tragedies the country has recently suffered.
Trump has had a contentious relationship with the NFL -- beginning when he attempted to buy a franchise in the 1980s and continuing through his first term as president.
Trump -- after he was unable to secure an NFL team after showing interest in the Baltimore Colts, the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills -- bought the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League in 1984. Eyeing a potential merger, Trump pushed for the league to become a direct competitor for the NFL by moving their season from spring to fall. When the NFL attempted to prevent the USFL from doing so, Trump urged league owners to sue. The USFL folded shortly after.
Trump, after being elected president in 2016, took issues with NFL players kneeling during the national anthem to protest social or racial injustice. He insisted that players stand for the national anthem and urged team owners to fire any player who took a knee.
That led to most of the Eagles declining their invitation to the White House after winning the Super Bowl in 2018 -- leading to the cancelation of the event.
Trump said in a statement at the time that the Eagles disagree "with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country."
Trump is now back in office and the Eagles and Chiefs are one victory away from winning another Super Bowl and possibly receiving another invitation to the White House.
