Donald Trump drew loud boos and jeers Sunday night (November 9) at FedEx Field as he became the first sitting president in 47 years to attend a regular-season NFL game, only to be met with a wave of disapproval from the Washington Commanders crowd.
The backlash erupted during the second quarter of the Commanders’ matchup against the Detroit Lions when Trump’s image flashed across the stadium’s jumbo screen. Standing in a private suite alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump was met with a chorus of boos that only grew louder when the stadium announcer formally introduced him at halftime. Even a military enlistment ceremony didn’t soften the crowd’s reaction. As Trump administered the oath to new service members, sections of the 67,000-person audience continued to voice their discontent.
Trump’s appearance marked a rare moment in presidential sports history. The last time a sitting president attended a regular-season NFL game was Jimmy Carter in 1978. Before that, it was Richard Nixon in 1969. During the third quarter, Trump joined Fox Sports broadcasters Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma for an eight-minute segment. Trump’s relationship with the NFL has been tense since his first term, when he repeatedly criticized players kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial and social injustice.