Donald Trump Booed at US Open After Trying to Steal the Spotlight
It was the authoritarian image that Donald Trump wanted to broadcast at the US Open – his face looming on Arthur Ashe Stadium’s giant screens like a modern-day dictator as he stood stiffly for the national anthem. But while the picture looked strong, the sound told another story. A quick burst of cheers for his salute was drowned out by a wave of boos, amplified by the stadium’s closed roof that trapped the noise. As the Stars and Stripes unfurled, Trump smirked, almost relishing the backlash – a scene that felt all too familiar.
Trump’s presence at the men’s final wasn’t about tennis. It was a political stunt, the kind of spectacle authoritarians like Putin or Kim Jong-un stage at sporting events. With recession fears, speculation about his health, and the never-ending Epstein files chatter, the US Open appearance was a flashy distraction – a flash bang of optics. He hardly watched the match, preferring to hold court inside his luxury box with loyalists.
If this had been about patriotism or tennis, Trump might have turned up for the women’s final the day before, where Amanda Anisimova’s epic comeback had electrified the crowd. But sharing the spotlight with an American player wasn’t his style. Instead, he chose Sunday’s match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, ensuring the stage was set for a MAGA show. Alcaraz, asked about Trump’s presence, innocently said: “I think it’s great for tennis to have the president at the final” – a soundbite quickly scooped up by Fox & Friends.
Past presidents managed their US Open visits with grace. Barack and Michelle Obama cheered passionately for Frances Tiafoe in 2022. Bill Clinton, in 2000, joined John McEnroe in commentary, signed tennis balls for fans, and even visited Pete Sampras in the locker room. He returned years later to honor Arthur Ashe’s legacy. Their appearances were about the sport – not themselves.
Trump’s return, however, was a stark contrast. Standing under the Ashe stadium lights, on grounds named for Billie Jean King, a pioneer of LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality, he embodied spectacle, not solidarity. The crowd’s boos weren’t just rejection – they were a reminder of New York’s long disdain for his faux-gold flash. For decades, Trump used the US Open for clout, flaunting his luxury box and celebrity guests. But New Yorkers never bought into it, booing him at events even before his 2015 presidential campaign launch.
This year’s USTA response to Trump’s presence only added to the circus. Reports said broadcasters were quietly told to avoid showing dissent. Yet, during the match, the cameras locked on Trump for 20 full seconds – long enough for the crowd’s boos to echo like the World Series jeers in 2019. Moments later, when the cameras cut to Bruce Springsteen, the stadium erupted in thunderous cheers that nearly lifted the roof.
Trump’s so-called power play quickly flipped on him. While the champion Alcaraz climbed into the crowd to celebrate, Trump sat isolated in his Rolex suite, unable to claim the moment. Unlike Clinton or Obama, he had no role in the game’s magic. Minutes after the match, he was gone – his massive security detail vanishing as quickly as it had arrived. For fans who had endured the long lines, tight checks, and delays, his departure was the day’s true victory.
As Alice Roosevelt once said about her father, FDR: “He wants to be the bride at every wedding, the corpse at every funeral, and the baby at every christening.” The description fits Trump even better. Wherever there’s attention to grab, you can bet he’ll try to be the center of it all – even if it means trampling over the sport, the players, and the fans just to feed his endless appetite for self-aggrandizement.
Description:
"Donald Trump’s dramatic appearance at the US Open men’s final backfired as boos thundered through Arthur Ashe Stadium. From forced optics to fan backlash, here’s how Trump turned tennis into a political spectacle."