President Donald Trump attended the No. 1 Texas vs No. 14 Tennessee college football game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on September 26. The president’s appearance drew attention before kickoff, with questions about how the crowd would react to him. Reports from the stadium did not establish a significant booing reaction, while cheers were also heard.
Trump was seated alongside Tennessee gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn during the Texas-Tennessee matchup. Blackburn had spoken publicly about Trump’s planned visit before the game and said she expected it to be a major day in Knoxville.
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The game brought Trump to Neyland Stadium as Texas and Tennessee met in a major SEC matchup. The University of Tennessee had announced increased security for the president’s visit, including Secret Service and police screening at stadium gates.
Trump’s presence also created an unusual challenge for the teams. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said communications could be temporarily shut off when Trump moved through the stadium, coaches had to prepare for possible headset interruptions during the game.
Donald Trump sits with Tennessee senator at Texas vs Tennessee
{{/usCountry}}Trump’s presence also created an unusual challenge for the teams. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said communications could be temporarily shut off when Trump moved through the stadium, coaches had to prepare for possible headset interruptions during the game.
Donald Trump sits with Tennessee senator at Texas vs Tennessee
{{/usCountry}}President Donald Trump was seated beside U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, in a suite at Neyland Stadium during the No. 1 Texas vs No. 14 Tennessee game on September 26. Blackburn is Tennessee’s senior senator and is also the Republican nominee for governor this year after winning the party’s primary on August 6.
The two were seen together during the SEC matchup, with Blackburn also sharing a selfie with Trump from the stadium. Trump and Blackburn later appeared on the video boards alongside Tennessee’s other Republican senator, Bill Hagerty. The game brought a major political presence into one of college football’s biggest settings, with Trump’s appearance drawing attention before kickoff.
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Did Donald Trump get booed at Texas vs Tennessee?
The reaction to Trump at Neyland Stadium was less clear-cut than some posts on social media suggested. Some Tennessee fans had announced before the game that they planned to boo him if he appeared on the stadium screens.
However, reports from the stadium also described loud cheers and a strong ovation when Trump appeared. Fox News’ OutKick reported that the crowd reacted loudly as Air Force One flew over Neyland Stadium before the game.
There were also social media posts claiming that Trump was booed, but those reactions do not by themselves establish that the crowd as a whole was booing him. Accounts from people at the game were mixed, with some describing mostly cheers and others saying they heard boos.
Blackburn’s presence added another political angle to Trump’s appearance. She has served in the Senate since 2019 after representing Tennessee in the House and became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from the state. She is now campaigning for governor against Democratic nominee Jerri Green in the November 3 election.