President Donald Trump bailed on attending the Super Bowl at least partly due to warnings that the spectators would "aggressively boo him," according to a new report.
Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl last year when he visited New Orleans, The Independent noted Wednesday.
But last week, he said the big game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, was "just too far away," Zeteo reported. Trump also claimed he cannot support the halftime show, featuring Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican rap artist who has condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Green Day, the legendary punk rock trio known for their burning hatred for Trump and for Republicans in general.
“I’m anti-them,” said the president. “I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”
The risk the president could be targeted with booing, however, is not without precedent — it has been known to happen when he visits major sporting events, like he did when he attended the FIFA Club World Cup final and the US Open last year.
"Aides were reportedly concerned that if the president was booed, it could produce unwelcome viral social media clips and media coverage," noted the report. However, at least publicly, "the White House insisted that Trump would have been well-received if he attended Sunday’s game," with one spokesperson insisting, “If he did attend the Super Bowl, he would receive a warm welcome because America knows he has done more to help this country than any other president in history.”
Right-wing outrage at the halftime show lineup has been simmering for months, with the MAGA youth group Turning Point USA even planning their own "All American Halftime Show" to compete with the event, featuring pro-Trump singer Kid Rock, country rock singer Brantley Gilbert, and country music singers Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett.
