Former President Donald Trump made an appearance at the US Open on Sunday. He was seen acknowledging the crowd from a luxury box prior to the final match. The response from the audience was varied, with some cheering and others booing. The stadium was not completely full, and some spectators did not even notice Trump’s arrival.
Despite the high tariffs imposed on Swiss goods, Trump attended as a guest of Rolex. The event organizers were also trying to manage the broadcast to avoid showing negative reactions to Trump.
In his second term, Trump has been attending more major sporting events instead of making policy announcements or conducting rallies. He is more often found in the stands at sporting events than at rallies.
Trump’s presence necessitated increased security, causing a delay of half an hour to the men’s final. This resulted in a delayed start for the match between Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Jannik Sinner, the defending champion from Italy.
The Trump administration implemented a 39% tariff on Swiss products. This tariff was significantly higher than those placed on goods from the European Union and the United Kingdom. The situation raised questions about Switzerland’s capacity to compete with its 27-member neighbor.
The White House declined to comment on Trump’s acceptance of the Rolex invitation. However, Trump has faced no objection to the integration of political and foreign policy choices with his efforts to increase his family business’s profits. This includes promoting cryptocurrency interests and luxury golf properties under his name. Trump declared that the US will use its opportunity to host the G-20 summit in December 2026 to hold the event at Trump National Park in South Florida.
The US Tennis Association stated that its standard policy would be followed and negative reactions to Trump would not be shown on the national broadcast. The organization has regularly requested that broadcasters avoid showing court disruptions. No major street protests against the president were evident at the main stadium during the tournament. Attendees also did not wear the Make America Great Again hats.
Trump had previously attended the US Open. However, he hadn’t returned since receiving boos in 2015. Before the final, Alcaraz said that any president’s presence is ‘a good thing for tennis’ and should not add extra pressure.
Trump has recently appeared at major sports events, including the Super Bowl, Daytona 500, UFC matches, NCAA Wrestling Championships, and the FIFA Club World Cup final. It was the first time since 2000 that a sitting US president had attended the US Open, with Bill Clinton being the last.