Trump makes history at Super Bowl – as Taylor Swift booed
The president walked on to the pitch before the game to meet families of the
victims of the New Year’s Day terror attack in the city, as well as police and
emergency personnel.
Monday 10 February 2025 03:23, UK
Celebrities including Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Sir Paul McCartney and Bradley Cooper
were out in force for one of America’s biggest sporting events of the year – the
Super Bowl – as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.
But it wasn’t just the stars of music and acting who were among the crowds at
the Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday.
Donald Trump [https://news.sky.com/topic/donald-trump-5711] made history by
becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl.
He walked on to the pitch before the game to meet families of the victims of the
New Year’s Day terror attack
[https://news.sky.com/topic/new-orleans-attack-11394] in the city, as well as
police and emergency personnel.
Fourteen people were killed and dozens of others injured when US Army veteran
Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pick-up truck into crowds
[https://news.sky.com/story/new-orleans-attacker-looked-up-how-to-access-balcony-on-bourbon-street-fbi-says-13289136]
on Bourbon Street early on 1 January. He was then shot dead by police.
When Mr Trump entered the stadium, he was greeted with a mix of cheers and boos
from the crowd.
He watched Super Bowl 59 from a box, along with his daughter, Ivanka, and son,
Eric, as well as several politicians who accompanied him on Air Force One to New
Orleans. First Lady Melania Trump did not attend.
Donald Trump says he will impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports
Prince Harry’s criticism of ‘weak moral character’ at Invictus Games felt like a
jibe at Donald Trump
Day 21: Trump’s popularity, Musk’s influence and America’s soft power
Trump’s previous criticism of NFL
During his first term in office, Mr Trump criticised the National Football
League (NFL) and its members after black players kneeled during the US national
anthem to bring attention to racial injustice.
For Sunday’s game, the league put the phrase “Choose Love” behind one of the end
zones. It replaced the previous phrase “End Racism”, which has been used since
2021.
Famous faces
Stars in the stands included Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, and former Beatle Sir Paul
McCartney, as well as Hollywood stars Adam Sandler, Paul Rudd and Kevin Costner.
Pop superstar Swift was there to cheer on her boyfriend Travis Kelce, who plays
for the Kansas City Chiefs.
When the singer’s face appeared on the Jumbotron, some Eagles fans started
booing her.
Swift had endorsed Mr Trump’s rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential
election.
The half-time show
One of the most famous parts of the Super Bowl is the half-time show, which this
year was headlined by rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Hollywood actor Samuel L Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, opened for the musician.
Lamar did a string of hits alongside singer-songwriter SZA.
Lamar performed Humble, which featured a group of dancers in red, white and
blue, forming an American flag. He went on to do Toxic Love with SZA.
Lamar also teased a performance of his Drake diss track Not Like Us.
“I wanna play their favourite song but you know they love to sue,” Lamar told
the women dancers behind him, referencing Drake and the current lawsuits around
the song.
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He went on to perform the track which was named song and record of the year at
the Grammys last weekend.
Drake is suing Universal Music Group for defamation and harassment, over its
release of Not Like Us last year.
He has claimed the track contained defamatory content accusing him of serious
misconduct.
What about the adverts?
There were around 80 Super Bowl advertising slots and some cost a record $8m for
30 seconds this year.
Among the adverts, David Beckham and actor Matt Damon were long-lost twins who
bonded over a beer, while Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal re-enacted their famous
deli scene from 1989’s When Harry Met Sally, except this time Sally was
expressing her enthusiasm for mayonnaise.
Also, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and comedian Pete Davidson teamed up for a
cookware commercial, and The Muppets searched for accommodations with a booking
site.
