President Donald Trump flew over Northwest Stadium in Air Force One on Sunday, where he attended the Washington Commanders game against the Detroit Lions.
The flyover took place on Sunday afternoon, with Trump becoming the first sitting president at a regular-season NFL game since 1978. Trump attended the game to partake in an enlistment ceremony to honor the nation’s veterans ahead of the holiday on Tuesday.
Trump touted the flyover ahead of the ceremony, asking reporters, “Was that the greatest flyover ever?”
“Nobody’s ever done a flyover like that. So these are the best pilots in the world,” he added.
NFL on FOX later conducted an interview with Trump during the game’s third quarter.
Trump’s visit to the game comes after an ESPN report revealed discussions have taken place between the White House and the Commanders ownership group about having the team’s new stadium in Washington, D.C., bear Trump’s name. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt hailed the prospect, saying “it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible.”
Washington Examiner’s Joe Concha said Sunday this report could be “trolling” by the president, recalling how Trump has also expressed interest in making Canada the 51st state. Concha also said Trump would likely rather see the Commanders rebrand back to its original name, the Washington Redskins, over seeing his name on the stadium.
TRUMP PROMISES ‘AT LEAST $2,000 A PERSON’ IN TARIFF DIVIDENDS
Trump told the press after his flyover that the country is “doing well,” and the Democrats “have to open it up,” referring to the government shutdown. Amid the dispute over healthcare in this shutdown, Trump is proposing to have money go “directly” to the public to purchase better healthcare.
The government shutdown is on its 40th day as of Sunday, though Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned its impact on the air traffic controller shortage will be prolonged even after it ends. Duffy predicted a “substantial” number of travelers will see their travel plans affected this Thanksgiving holiday, as air travel would be “reduced to a trickle.”
