President Donald Trump on Sunday became the first sitting president to attend a regular-season NFL game since Jimmy Carter in 1978, appearing at the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders matchup.
In the third quarter, Trump appeared on the Fox broadcast, answering questions about his time as a football player at New York Military Academy, opining on quarterbacks and more.
“Drew Brees, he threw a ball you could catch,” was one piece of analysis Trump offered, breaking down the former quarterback’s game with his ex-teammate Jonathan Vilma, who was in the broadcast booth for Fox. “I would have liked him as a quarterback.”
The president even tried his hand at play-by-play, calling a 2nd-and-7 play for the Commanders inside the red zone.
“Let’s see what happens. Not bad,” Trump said during a three-yard run by Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
When asked why he enjoys attending sporting events, Trump — who was also at the Super Bowl in February — said sports is a microcosm of life.
“You have the triumph and you have the problems, and you have to get through the problems to hit the triumphs,” he said.
There were loud boos from some spectators when Trump was shown on the video board late in the first half — standing in a suite with House Speaker Mike Johnson — and again when the president was introduced at halftime by the stadium announcer.
The jeering continued while Trump read an oath for members of the military to recite as part of an on-field enlistment ceremony during the break in the game.
Trump’s appearance at the game came on the heels of an ESPN report that the president wants the Commanders’ new stadium named after him.
Washington currently plays at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, which has been the team’s home since 1997. The Commanders played at RFK Stadium from 1961 through 1996, winning three Super Bowls during that time period. The demolition of the stadium began earlier this year.
In April, Washington owner Josh Harris, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser announced the Commanders would return to the nation’s capital in a new stadium at the RFK site. The new structure will cost at least $3.7 billion, $2.7 billion of which will be paid by the team. The district will pay $1 billion, while the team will be responsible for any cost overruns.
“They're gonna build a beautiful stadium, that's what I'm involved in,” Trump said. “We're getting all the approvals and everything else. And you have a wonderful owner, Josh and his group, and you're going to see some very good things.”
The president was also asked how feels the country is doing amid the government shutdown that entered its 40th day Sunday.
Trump said things are “great.”
“People have spirit. Our stock market hit an all time high. Prices are coming down," he said. "We inherited a mess. Prices are coming way down. And I’ll tell you, our country has over $17 trillion being invested in it, which is a record. So we’re doing great.”
