Donald Trump drew a divided response during the Commanders vs. Lions NFL game this weekend.
When the president, 79, appeared on the screens late in the first half of Sunday’s Washington, D.C., and Detroit matchup, many in the crowd erupted into loud boos — though some cheers could also be heard, according to videos circulating online. Trump was seen standing in a suite alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson.
A similar reaction echoed through the stadium later in the evening when the announcer formally introduced Trump at halftime.
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During halftime, Trump delivered the Oath of Enlistment to service members on the field as both supporters and critics voiced their reactions inside Commanders’ Northwest Stadium.
This was not the first time Trump faced boos at major sporting events this year. He received similar responses at the US Open in September and the FIFA World Cup in July.
Trump’s appearance at the Commanders vs. Lions matchup made him the first sitting president in nearly 50 years to attend a regular-season NFL game. The last sitting president to do so was Jimmy Carter in 1978, and before him, Richard Nixon in 1969, according to the Associated Press.
Earlier this year, Trump also became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl, where he watched the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 40–22.
During the third quarter on Sunday, Trump joined Fox Sports broadcasters Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma for a brief conversation. When asked why he enjoys attending major sporting events, he replied, “You have the triumph and you have the problems, and you have to get through the problems to hit the triumphs.”
