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By Jesus Mesa and Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump is expected to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday, a White House official not authorized to speak publicly about the president's plans told the Associated Press on Tuesday.
Newsweek has reached out to the NFL for comment. Jake Sherman, founder of Punchbowl News, was first to report the news on X, formerly Twitter.
Why It Matters
Donald Trump will appear at the Caesars Superdome when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles. The matchup, featuring the reigning Super Bowl champions and one of the league's most storied franchises, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET and will air on FOX during Super Bowl 59.
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The Eagles are aiming to secure the franchise's second Super Bowl win, and the Chiefs are aiming to make history. Should the Chiefs win, they will become the first team to ever pull off a three-peat in NFL history.
What To Know
Trump's anticipated attendance will set a new precedent. Although several vice presidents have attended the Super Bowl, including Spiro Agnew in 1971, George H.W. Bush in 1982, and Al Gore in 1994 and Mike Pence in 2017, no sitting president has done so.
Bush later attended a Super Bowl as a former president, participating in the coin toss during Super Bowl XXXVI, also held in New Orleans.
Trump's attendance also comes amid heightened security measures following a recent terrorist incident in the city. The game will take place just over a month after an ISIS-inspired attacker drove a truck through New Year's Eve crowds on Bourbon Street, resulting in 14 fatalities and dozens of injuries.
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Federal law enforcement sources confirmed to the New York Post that additional security protocols will be implemented in light of both the previous attack and the president's presence.
Now as the 47th President of the United States, Trump is apparently not going to stop attending sporting events. Before he was elected to office once again, the hopeful Republican candidate began making his rounds at sporting events across the country. President Trump attended NCAA rivalry games like the Palmetto Bowl, which featured a matchup between the University of South Carolina and Clemson University.
Trump also took in some NFL action, as he attended a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets in October 2024.
Compounding the event's cultural gravity is the expected appearance of pop superstar Taylor Swift, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift, a vocal critic of Trump, publicly encouraged voters to oppose him in the 2020 election, raising the possibility of an awkward encounter if the two cross paths during the game.
A New Interview with Fox News
Adding to the spectacle, Trump will record an interview with Fox News host Bret Baier, set to air during the network's Super Bowl pregame coverage at 3 p.m. ET.
While Super Bowl interviews with the president have become a tradition, both Trump and his predecessor, Joe Biden, have skipped them in the past.
This interview also follows years of tension between Trump and Baier, whom Trump has called "nasty" and "unfriendly" after a 2023 interview where Baier pressed him on issues like his refusal to accept his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.
What People Are Saying
Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, on X (formerly Twitter): "DHS has protected the NFL Super Bowl for 20+ years. We're working around the clock to ensure a safe and secure game day at the Superdome and in the city of New Orleans".
What Happens Next
The Eagles are vying for their franchise's second Super Bowl championship, while the Chiefs chase historic NFL immortality. A victory for Kansas City would cement their eternal place in league lore as the first team ever to achieve a three-peat—a feat no franchise has conquered in the NFL's 104-year history.
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