Donald Trump received loud cheers and some boos from thousands of fans during a dramatic college football game in Knoxville.
Trump landed at 11:28 a.m. ET, shortly before the noon kickoff. Air Force One made a low-altitude pass over the stadium while Texas and Tennessee players warmed up. Fans inside the stands could be heard cheering during the flyover. His motorcade reached Neyland Stadium at about 11:59 a.m., just as the national anthem was being performed.
When Trump appeared on the stadium’s giant video boards, cheers rose from portions of the crowd. Other accounts and videos from inside the stadium also captured boos from some spectators, producing differing descriptions of the overall reception. From a stadium suite, Trump responded by pumping his fist several times. He watched the game alongside Tennessee’s two Republican U.S. senators, Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty.
The visit placed him at a matchup with both competitive and personal resonance. No. 1 Texas was making its first trip to Neyland Stadium to face the No. 14 Volunteers. The game also gave Trump a chance to see Texas quarterback Arch Manning play in the stadium where Manning’s uncle, Peyton Manning, became one of Tennessee’s most celebrated players in the 1990s.