Recently, Trump brushed off attending Sunday’s Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium, calling the trip ‘too far away’ while also criticizing the halftime show as ‘terrible.’
“I’m anti-them,” Trump said. “All it does is sow hatred.”
Behind closed doors, the story looked very different.
According to a report from Zeteo, Trump’s aides quietly advised him not to attend because they believed the crowd would “likely aggressively boo him.” Several people briefed on the decision said staff were worried the reaction could spiral into viral clips and wall-to-wall media coverage, the kind no White House wants attached to a sitting president.
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That caution marked a clear shift from last year. In 2025, Trump made history as the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl when he appeared in New Orleans in 2025. This year, his aides seemed unwilling to take the chance again, especially with the game being in California and political tensions high.
Super Bowl LX is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. Eastern, with the New England Patriots facing the Seattle Seahawks. The event comes as protests have spread across the country over the federal government’s approach to immigration enforcement. Two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed last month during encounters with federal agents in Minneapolis, fueling widespread demonstrations and concern about immigration tactics.
The halftime show only added to the risk.
Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican superstar headlining the performance, has been outspoken against ICE and the administration’s immigration policies. At the Grammys last week, he used his acceptance speech to call for the agency’s end.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” he told the crowd. “The only thing that’s more powerful than hate is love.”
That message did not sit well with the White House.
There had already been chatter about federal agents appearing at the Super Bowl after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said last fall that officers would be “all over” the event following Bad Bunny’s announcement.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle pushed back on the report, claiming the president would have been warmly received.
“If he did attend the Super Bowl, he would receive a warm welcome,” Ingle said. “America knows he has done more to help this country than any other president in history.”
The NFL’s chief security officer, Cathy Lanier, addressed the speculation and said immigration enforcement will not be involved in Super Bowl security. She said the event will still have federal support through the Department of Homeland Security, but ICE will not be part of the agencies on site.
“There are no known, no planned ICE or immigration enforcement operations that are scheduled at the Super Bowl or any of the Super Bowl-related events. Our Department of Homeland Security, who’s been our partner for more than 20 years now and is made up of more than 20 different departments, will send a variety of different agencies. It does not include ICE.” Lanier said Tuesday
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
