Donald Trump's Unprecedented Engagement with Major Sports Events in 2025
In 2025, Donald Trump marked an unprecedented presence in the sports world for a sitting U.S. president by attending multiple major events. He made history as the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl and also appeared at the Daytona 500. Throughout the year, Trump was involved in a wide array of sports, including NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia, UFC events in Miami and New Jersey, the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, the Ryder Cup at Bethpage, LIV Golf at Doral, and the US Open men's final.
At the World Cup draw, Trump received FIFA's Peace Prize during a ceremony, underlining his efforts to gain international recognition through sport. These appearances are portrayed not as leisure activities but as a strategic display to project relevance, generate media attention, and facilitate donor networking. Key donor ties include Miriam Adelson, who contributed about $100 million to his 2024 reelection campaign and has pledged another $250 million for 2028, supporting his sports-forward strategy.
Sport is depicted as a political accelerant and wedge issue, especially focusing on transgender participation in women's sports, which has been used to mobilize conservative support. Looking ahead, the U.S. will host the men's World Cup in 2026, and Trump intends to co-opt this event for further international validation. He maintains a close relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to support these ambitions. A UFC event is planned for the White House lawn in 2026, timed with Trump’s 80th birthday, where he will appear in a VIP box.
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are also seen as reinforcing sport as Trump's ongoing stage of influence, following the World Cup. Overall, Trump's extensive involvement in sports throughout 2025 and plans for major events symbolize a deliberate use of sport as a platform for political and personal consolidation.
