US President Donald Trump did not attend the Super Bowl on Sunday between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Still, just hours before kickoff, he took time to wish both teams well. Trump posted a message calling the Super Bowl a special American tradition that shows the country’s passion and never-give-up spirit.
“On the field, players and coaches bring years of hard work, preparation, and commitment to football’s biggest night,” Trump said in the message. “Across the country, millions of fans come together to cheer on their teams and share in a moment of history. Today, every American is a football fan,” he added.
Why Trump did not attend this year’s game
Trump made history last year when he became the first sitting US president to attend a Super Bowl. He went to the 2025 game in New Orleans. However, last month he told the New York Post that he would not attend Sunday’s game in Santa Clara, California. The reason, he said, was simple. “It’s just too far away,” Trump said.
He also seemed unhappy with the entertainment line-up planned for the game. The halftime show features Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, while punk rock band Green Day was set to perform before the game. Both Bad Bunny and Green Day have been vocal critics of Trump, and their performances have already sparked MAGA backlash while dividing Super Bowl fans. Commenting on the halftime show Trump said, “I’m anti-them. I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”
Even so, Trump ended his message on a positive note. “May tonight’s game reflect the best of football and the enduring triumph of the American spirit — and may the best team win!” he said.
Advisors worried Trump could be loudly booed
This week, news outlet Zeteo reported that some people inside Trump’s administration had another concern. According to the report, advisers privately believed that if Trump attended Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, he could face loud boos from the crowd. Journalists Asawin Suebsaeng and Andrew Perez wrote that several aides felt the chances of Trump being booed were very high.
“In recent months, according to two people familiar with the situation and two sources briefed on it, several aides and advisers to the president quietly determined that the chances were rather high of Trump getting booed ‘big league,’ at the Super Bowl, in the words of one White House official,” the report said.
The advisers were worried such a moment would go viral online. “Such a moment would instantly create a wealth of viral video clips and media coverage that administration officials would prefer to avoid,” the report added.
Despite the report, the White House rejected the idea that Trump skipped the game because he was worried about the crowd’s reaction. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said Trump’s decision had nothing to do with possible boos.
“President Trump is working hard on behalf of the American people,” Ingle told Zeteo. “If he did attend the Super Bowl, he would receive a warm welcome because America knows he has done more to help this country than any other president in history.”
Trump has often appeared at major sporting events during his presidency. Last year, he attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
He has also been seen at the men’s singles final at the US Open, the opening day of the Ryder Cup, and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
This year’s Super Bowl comes at a tense moment. Large protests against the Trump administration’s stepped-up immigration enforcement have been taking place in cities across the US. Super Bowl LX kicked off at 6:30 pm Eastern and featured the New England Patriots facing the Seattle Seahawks.
Earlier fears had surfaced that ICE agents might be deployed at the Super Bowl. Those concerns grew after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in September that officers would be “all over” the event following Bad Bunny’s announcement as the headline act.