Trump to Attend NFL Game Honoring Veterans
President Donald Trump is set to be present at the NFL game on Sunday between the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions, which is dedicated to U.S. military veterans.
Nicky Jababara, a correspondent for The Athletic on the Commanders, shared a statement from the team’s president, Mark Kroos, who expressed his “honor” in welcoming Trump to the game. Kroos emphasized that the Commanders are “proud to support the NFL’s league-wide Salute to Service initiative.”
“It’s truly an honor to have President Trump join us as we recognize those who have served and continue to serve our nation,” Claus remarked. “The entire Commanders organization is proud to take part in this initiative this Sunday, honoring the commitment and sacrifices of our nation’s veterans, active military, and their families.”
This marks a notable occasion, as Trump’s attendance in Landover, Maryland, will be the first for a sitting president at an NFL game—aside from the Super Bowl—in over 47 years. According to sources, the last time a sitting president attended a non-Super Bowl NFL game was on October 2, 1978, when former President Jimmy Carter watched the Washington team beat the Dallas Cowboys.
The first sitting president to attend a regular NFL game was Richard Nixon, who was at the game on November 16, 1969, where Washington lost to the Cowboys.
A source indicated that Trump will be in the owner’s suite alongside the team’s managing partner, Josh Harris.
Interestingly, Trump’s attendance follows his previous call for the Commanders to revert to their former name, the Washington Redskins. In a Truth Social post from July, he urged, “Washington’s ‘Whatever’s’ should immediately change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team.”
He added that he didn’t feel the name “Commanders” carried the same appeal for him.
Reports suggest that Trump is keen on having the new $3.7 billion stadium named after him. ESPN noted that he has expressed interest in this change.
On a related note, White House press secretary Caroline Levitt commented that naming the stadium after President Trump would be “a beautiful name,” attributing the possibility of the new stadium to his efforts.
