Is Trump Skipping Super Bowl 2026 Because He Fears Thousands Will Boo Him?
President Donald Trump with daughter Ivanka Trump at Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025
President Donald Trump won't be in attendance at the biggest sporting event in the United States this year. And according to a new report, he's skipping out over fears that he may be booed by tens of thousands of people.
On Tuesday, Zeteo's Asawin Suebsaeng and Andrew Perez reported that one unnamed White House official feared Trump would get booed "big league" at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California (the home stadium of the San Francisco 49ers). Suebsaeng and Perez wrote that Trump's advisors feared a wave of boos at the Super Bowl "would instantly create a wealth of viral video clips and media coverage that administration officials would prefer to avoid."
"[Booing is] another thing we don’t want right now," one Trump advisor anonymously confided to Zeteo.
The president has also reportedly complained that this year's Super Bowl is too "woke." He is particularly upset about Grammy-winning artist Bad Bunny headlining this year's halftime show, and rock band Green Day (whose frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, is an outspoken critic of Trump) also performing.
"There was a time when the Super Bowl was neutral territory for presidents. That line has blurred – even disappeared," former Fox News host Eric Bolling told Zeteo. "In today’s politically polarized America, location can matter more than the event itself. This looks like a strategic decision, not a snub or a controversy."
Suebsaeng and Perez noted that Trump's polling has slid noticeably downward since his mixed reception of cheers and boos at last year's Super Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. The president was also met with both applause and jeers last month in Miami, Florida when he attended the College Football Playoff championship game between the University of Indiana and the University of Miami. And when Trump attended a regular season NFL game between the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders, the crowd could be heard viciously booing him for several minutes.
Trump reportedly being sensitive about negative crowd response may also stem from an appearance last year at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In June of 2025, both the president and First Lady Melania Trump were booed loudly after they made an appearance on opening night of the musical Les Miserables, which is about a populist rebellion against a tyrannical king.
- MAGA Meltdown Over Pope Leo's Remarks On Abortion, Death Penalty ›
- Challenged Over Minnesota Shootings, Wyoming Republican Flees Town Hall ›
- Booed In Maine, Collins Faces Dimming Prospects In Midterm ›
- If You Love Democracy, Prepare Now To Defend Free Elections In 2026 ›
- Trump booed at Commanders-Lions regular-season game in DC ›
- Trump booed at Alabama rally after telling supporters to get vaccinated ›
- President Donald Trump booed at Washington Commanders NFL ... ›
- Trump Booed At Yet Another Sporting Event While Attending ... ›
- For those at the Super Bowl, was Trump booed? : r/NewOrleans ›
Start your day with National Memo Newsletter
Know first.
The opinions that matter. Delivered to your inbox every morning
