Donald Trump made a rare appearance at an NFL regular-season game on Sunday, becoming the first sitting US president to do so in nearly 50 years. He attended the Washington Commanders’ home game against the Detroit Lions. However, according to the Associated Press, the moment Trump appeared on the big screen late in the first half, loud boos came from several fans in the stands, mixed with a few scattered cheers.
Trump was standing in a suite with House Speaker Mike Johnson. The booing continued when the stadium announcer formally introduced him at halftime.
Trump booed at Commanders game
Later, Trump was on the field to read out an oath for military recruits as part of an enlistment ceremony, and the crowd kept booing throughout the moment.
Earlier in the day, after landing at Joint Base Andrews, Trump jokingly told reporters, “I’m a little bit late.” His plane did a flyover of Northwest Stadium while the game was already underway. He then headed to the arena in his car. Trump added, “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,” referring to the government shutdown.
The video went viral online, but while it sparked plenty of interest, the reaction didn’t surprise many locals. The Washington, DC region is heavily Democratic, and many government workers in the area have felt the impact of Trump’s budget cuts. It also wasn’t the first time he faced a cold welcome from a sports crowd. Back in 2019, Nationals fans shouted “lock him up” during the World Series when Trump attended a game.
This is brutal. Trump just got LOUDLY booed at the Commanders game. Americans hate him. So humiliating for Trump. pic.twitter.com/swcYL50kpg
— Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) November 9, 2025
Trump wants his name on the new stadium
According to the NFL, only two other presidents have attended a regular-season game while in office: Richard Nixon in 1969 and Jimmy Carter in 1978. Trump also made history earlier this year when he became the first president to attend the Super Bowl.
ESPN reported that an intermediary for the White House has told the Commanders’ ownership that Trump wants the club’s future stadium to carry his name. The team is working on a massive project worth nearly $4 billion at the old RFK Stadium site. “It’s what the president wants, and it will probably happen,” the official told ESPN. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in an email said, “That would be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible.”
On Sunday’s broadcast, Trump said, “They’re going to build a beautiful stadium… we’re getting all the approvals.” He also praised team owner Josh Harris and his group. After returning to the Oval Office earlier this year, Trump has been showing up at major sporting events, from the Ryder Cup to the Daytona 500 and even the US Open. “I just love it. It’s a microcosm of life,” he said during the broadcast. “It’s sort of like life, the good, the bad and the ugly.”
In the third quarter, Trump joined Fox commentators Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma for about eight minutes. Albert opened by asking Trump about his school football days at the New York Military Academy. “I played tight end, but it was not quite football like this. It was a little bit easier,” Trump said, laughing. The Commanders struggled throughout the night and eventually lost 44–22 to the Lions. Trump left the stadium before the game ended.
