Former President Donald Trump attended the US Open on Sunday. He was seen waving from a luxury box before the final match. His presence elicited a mixed response from the audience, with some cheering and others booing. The Arthur Ashe Stadium was not completely full, and many attendees were unaware of Trump’s arrival.
Trump was a guest of Rolex, despite significant tariffs imposed on Switzerland by his administration. Organizers attempted to manage the broadcast to mitigate any negative reactions to his presence.
Trump has increasingly focused on attending major sporting events during his second term, rather than making policy announcements or holding rallies. He now frequently appears in the stands at sports events.
Trump’s presence led to heightened security measures, causing a delay of half an hour in the men’s final. This resulted in a late start for the match between Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz (22) and Italy’s defending champion Jannik Sinner (24).
The Trump administration had previously imposed a hefty 39% tariff on Swiss products. This tariff was two and a half times higher than the tariffs on European Union goods and nearly four times higher than tariffs on goods imported from the UK, raising questions about Switzerland’s ability to compete with its 27-member neighbor.
The White House declined to comment on Trump’s acceptance of Rolex’s invitation to the tournament. However, the president has faced no objections to the blurring of lines between political and foreign policy decisions and his efforts to boost profits for his family business. This includes promoting cryptocurrency interests and luxury golf properties operated under his name. He announced that the US would utilize 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, in accordance with standard policy, any negative reactions to Trump’s presence would not be shown on ABC’s national broadcast. The organization said it regularly requests that its broadcasters avoid showing any disruptions outside the court. No major street protests against the president were seen at the tournament’s main stadium. However, attendees also refrained from wearing the president’s signature Make America Great Again hats.
Trump has been a regular attendee at the US Open, but he had not attended since receiving boos in 2015. Before the final, Alcaraz said that the presence of any president is ‘a good thing for tennis’ and that players should not feel extra pressure because of it.
Trump has been seen at several major sporting events in recent months, including the Super Bowl, Daytona 500, UFC matches, NCAA Wrestling Championships, and the FIFA Club World Cup final. This marked the first time since 2000 that a sitting US President attended the US Open, the last being Bill Clinton.
