Trump watched the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles from a box in the Superdome in New Orleans, along with his daughter, Ivanka, and son, Eric, as well as several lawmakers who accompanied him on Air Force One to New Orleans
After flying from Florida to New Orleans, the Republican president met with participants in the honorary coin toss after he arrived at the Superdome, including relatives of victims of a deadly New Year's Day terrorist attack in the historic French Quarter, members of the police department and emergency personnel
Trump's appearance at the Caesars Superdome to see the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles follows the NFL's decision to remove the "End Racism" slogans that have been stenciled on the end zones since 2021
Trump recently ordered the cancellation of programs that encourage diversity, equity and inclusion across the federal government and some critics see the league's decision as a response to the Republican president's action. But NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league's diversity policies are not in conflict with the Trump administration's efforts to end the federal government's DEI programs
Trump, who attended the Super Bowl in 1992, thinks the Chiefs will win, with Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes the difference-maker
"I guess you have to say that when a quarterback wins as much as he's won, I have to go with Kansas City," Trump said in a taped interview with Fox News Channel's Brett Baier that aired during the pregame show. Trump said Mahomes "really knows how to win. He's a great, great quarterback"
The president played football as a student at the New York Military Academy. As a New York businessman in the early 1980s, he owned the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League. Trump had sued to force a merger of the USFL and the NFL. The USFL eventually folded
In a statement before the game, Trump said the coaches, players and staff for the Chiefs and Eagles "represent the hopes and dreams of our Nation's young athletes as we restore safety and fairness in sports and equal opportunities among their teams"
Trump signed an order last week that is intended to block transgender women and girls from competing in women's sports by targeting federal funding for schools that fail to comply
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