Trump's Fragile Ego Gets Tip-Toed Around After Being Booed At US Open

There is one thing that Taylor Swift and Donald Trump have in common: They've both been booed at athletic competitions. In Swift's case, it's been at NFL games as the girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. In Trump's case, it seems to be more about his actions as president, as it's happened at a number of sporting events since he took office, from the World Series to the World Cup final, where Trump's attention seeking hit a fever pitch. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) seemed to realize there could be a negative reaction to Trump's presence at the men's final of the U.S. Open between Jannik Sinner of Italy and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, so beforehand, it asked the media broadcasting the match "to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President's attendance in any capacity, including ENG [Electronic News Gathering] coverage," per Bounces. 

Trump draws some boos, and a few claps, when shown saluting during the anthem. (No one else was saluting the anthem).

Stadium still half empty due to long security lines.#USOpen pic.twitter.com/jzJiDMPFYb

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) September 7, 2025

It was also confirmed before the match that Trump would be shown on the big screen in the stadium during the national anthem, perhaps to protect him from a potential negative reaction to his presence. Footage has dropped from the event, and it shows that Trump did, in fact, get booed. Admittedly, there were also some cheers, but it was definitely at best a mixed response. Despite the USTA email, not all the media coverage of the U.S. Open cut out the response to Donald Trump's appearance, including ABC and ESPN.

Based on X footage from someone at the event, it seems there was at least one other moment when Trump was on the big screen, and there were boos then, too. It could have been just from that section of the stands, but still. 

To explain the email to the media, the USTA told Newsweek, "We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions." But even if it's common practice, when it came to Donald Trump, who has so often caused disruptions when attending events, it certainly caught a lot of attention. Plenty of people were appalled that the USTA would make such a request. One person said, "Shame on you US Open for bending the knee to the orange clown!" Others had jokes. One person posted, "Trump got booed harder at the U.S. Open, than a vegan at a Texas BBQ." And another quipped, "Maybe he can win an award for most boo'd?"

The boos may not have been entirely a commentary on Trump's job as president/him as a person. It could have been a sign of irritation at the late start for the event, as well as the increased security that attendees had to undergo, thanks to Trump's presence. The match started 30 minutes late to a partially empty stadium as people waited in line to get in. It wasn't a good look for the USTA. One person on X noted, "the most anticipated match of the season is going to be remembered as a logistical disaster."

Trump has often attended the U.S. Open in the past, but his 2025 appearance was the first time that he's been there in 10 years. He was at this year's match as a guest of Rolex, a sponsor of the event. He was accompanied by son-in-law Jared Kushner, granddaughter Arabella Kushner, and members of his administration, including Pam Bondi and Karoline Leavitt.