Trump pits himself against NFL with wild 'Trumpapalooza' claim
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Republican National Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas, U.S., September 9, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci

President Donald Trump boasted Thursday that the RNC midterm convention — dubbed a “Trumpapalooza” — "beat" the NFL season opener in viewership — even though Nielsen hadn’t yet published ratings for the game.

“The Republican Midterm Convention last night, in Dallas, was a major, sold out hit, far bigger, better, and more important than anyone thought possible,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

“It was really something, streaming all over the place, and really big numbers, despite going up against the NFL. The overall numbers beat the NFL. The Arena, which was really nice, beat its own attendance records. The place was packed!”

Wednesday’s NFL season opener saw the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots, and historically, NBC Sports publishes viewership for games on its website. As of Thursday morning, NBC Sports has yet to publish any viewership numbers.

“There were thousands of people outside who couldn’t get in. Screens were provided. I guess people LOVE TRUMP POLITICS!” Trump continued. “I’ll be there again tonight to close out the show. Exciting “Stuff!” MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”