West Palm Beach, Feb 9: As a student, Donald Trump played high school football. As a business baron, he owned a team in an upstart rival to the NFL and then sued the established league. As president, he denigrated pros who took a knee during the national anthem as part of a social justice movement.
On Sunday, he adds to that complicated history with the sport when he becomes the first president in office to attend a Super Bowl.
Trump’s appearance at the Superdome in New Orleans to watch the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles follows the NFL’s decision to remove the “End Racism” slogans that have been stenciled on the end zones since 2021. Trump recently ordered the cancelation of programs that encourage diversity, equity and inclusion across the federal government and some critics see the league’s decision as a response to the Republican president’s action. But NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league’s diversity policies are not in conflict with the Trump administration’s efforts to end the federal government’s DEI programs. (AP)
