Amid his aggressive drive to radically reshape America, President Donald Trump arrived at Tremendous Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday as the primary sitting president to attend the NFL’s championship recreation.
The forty seventh president confirmed up about an hour earlier than kickoff for the massive recreation between the Philadelphia Eagles and returning champions Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
On the occasion, Trump met with members of the family of victims of the New Years Day terrorist assault that struck New Orleans’ French Quarter, earlier than heading to the field of New Orleans Saints proprietor Gayle Benson to look at beside his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and son Eric Trump.
Phrase Trump could be current at one of many most-watched spectacles on the earth was met with pleasure and derision this week, a hanging reflection of the ever-mounting divisions inside the nation.
Upon assuming workplace lower than a month in the past, Trump hurdled into his plans to shift the scope of the federal government: antagonizing international allies, initiating mass deportations, dismantling variety initiatives, assaulting trans rights, upending discrimination protections, trying to freeze trillions of federal {dollars} and enacting retribution in opposition to his enemies.
ROBERTO SCHMIDT by way of Getty Photos
Trump’s historic Tremendous Bowl look appears notably important, given soccer’s energy inside American tradition.
The businessman turned politician has frequently used the sport to push for his political agenda.
He tried to win over NFL followers throughout his 2024 run for workplace, when his marketing campaign shelled out $10 million for a Tremendous Bowl advert. Titled “Stronger, Safer, More Prosperous,” the 30-second promo glorified the times of his first time period.
Whereas in workplace, nonetheless, Trump was pleased to assault the league and its gamers to assist sow social discord.
After San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and different athletes started kneeling in the course of the nationwide anthem to protest racism, he went on the offense.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now?’” Trump puzzled aloud throughout a 2017 rally. “‘Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!’”
![Trump Makes Historical past At Tremendous Bowl LIX 1 US President Donald Trump salutes as the national anthem is played at Super Bowl LIX.](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/67aa1e2f1d000026003b5c65.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale)
ROBERTO SCHMIDT by way of Getty Photos
The next 12 months, the Philadelphia Eagles’ invitation to the White Home was canceled after a bulk of the gamers and coaches deliberate to boycott their go to over his demand they stand for the anthem.
“They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem,” Trump wrote in an announcement in regards to the winners of Tremendous Bowl LII. “Hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”
Along with his conservative program now quickly materializing, Trump’s Tremendous Bowl grievances have been extra geared toward what’s occurring on the sector.
In a Friday publish on Fact Social, he criticized the NFL’s choice to maneuver kickoffs ahead to the 35-yard line, saying, “If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff ‘deal.’”
The president claimed the change, which was put in place to curb accidents from high-speed collisions, “actually makes football more dangerous” and that reverting to the outdated guidelines “would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor.”
Ending his message on an optimistic notice, he wrote, “ANYWAY, IT WILL BE A GREAT GAME!!”
Whereas Trump’s complaints have been sports-oriented, one other a part of the occasion appeared to relay many Individuals’ obvious weariness towards progressive values.
Reviews the NFL would drop the “End Racism” finish zone slogan it has used for the previous 4 years made waves on Wednesday. That motto has been changed by “Choose Love,” whereas the other finish of the sector will proceed to say, “It Takes All of Us.”