The sitting U.S. president made history by attending the Super Bowl. One aspect left him less than pleased despite the excitement, and he shared what soured the experience.
Donald Trump attended Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, in New Orleans but departed before the fourth quarter. While his decision to leave sparked curiosity, he later shared what stood out as “the worst part of the Super Bowl.”
The president’s departure may have left questions unanswered, but the match delivered a decisive outcome. The Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs, securing a 40-22 victory.
Fans at home had multiple viewing options, some at no cost, while those in attendance paid a premium. The most affordable seats — located in the upper levels of the Superdome — started at $2,920 on StubHub and $3,000 on Ticketmaster, with some priced as high as $5,000.
Trump’s attendance also made history, as he became the first sitting president to be present at a Super Bowl. He was photographed standing for the national anthem alongside New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson and his daughter, Ivanka Trump.
Despite his historic attendance, Trump’s early departure did not go unnoticed. The businessman and former 45th president left before the end, sparking a debate across social media.
One X user remarked, “Donald Trump just left the Super Bowl early after watching KC get walloped after saying he was rooting for them. So much winning.”
Another referenced Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce’s comments about playing before the president, “Imagine saying ‘it’s an honor’ for Trump to watch you play at the Super Bowl only for him to leave early cause y’all was getting beat so bad. LOOOOSSEEERRRRRR [sic].”
Others shared similar sentiments, with one posting, “thinking about travis saying it’s an honor to have trump at the super bowl just for him to leave halfway through the game because they were playing so badly [sic].”
However, not everyone criticized his decision. One user argued, “President Trump gives reporters enough to write 100 stories a day—you don’t need to misrepresent what happened. He was always slated to leave early.”
Another noted the logistics of his exit, “Imagine the security nightmare for Secret Service if he stayed until the end and left at the same time as everyone else [sic].” A separate post called out Mail Online’s description of Trump’s departure as “mysterious,” dismissing the characterization as exaggerated.
While opinions varied on the president’s early exit, some criticized the cost to taxpayers for attending only part of the game. However, records show that his White House schedule had him departing at 8:05 p.m. Central Time, meaning his early departure was planned in advance.
The decision was part of a carefully coordinated operation that allowed him to become the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl. Ensuring the safety of a high-profile figure in a massive venue poses significant challenges, which is why presidents often avoid large-scale public events.
When they do attend, security measures from the U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement can disrupt normal proceedings.
To minimize logistical hurdles, it is not uncommon for presidents to leave before an event concludes. Otherwise, stadium security would need to hold back an audience of nearly 80,000 until the president had safely exited.
While Trump’s early departure drew attention, he found a rule change on the field the most frustrating. After the game, he criticized the NFL’s new kickoff rules.
Implemented this season for player safety, the updated rule stops the kicking team from advancing until the receiving team touches the ball. While aimed at reducing collisions, it has drawn criticism — including from Trump, who reaffirmed his stance post-game.
“The worst part of the Super Bowl, by far, was watching the Kickoff where, as the ball is sailing through the air, the entire field is frozen, stiff. College Football does not do it, and won’t! Whose idea was it to ruin the Game?” he wrote in a Truth Social post.
In previous years, the collision often caused injuries on special teams. Now, kickoff units start five yards apart between the receiving team’s 35- and 30-yard lines and can’t move until the ball is caught.
According to the NFL’s operations website, the rule was introduced “to address the lowest kickoff return rate in NFL history during the 2023 season and an unacceptable injury rate on kickoffs.” The Competition Committee will review its renewal in 2025.
However, Trump’s criticism of the new kickoff format is nothing new. During an appearance on the “Let’s Go!” podcast, he voiced his disapproval to hosts Jim Gray and Bill Belichick, “[…] I watch football now and I see that kick off, and it looks weird to me. That thing looks weird, coach,” he told Belichick.
The New Yorker added, “I don’t know. I hope you like it, but I think it hurts the game. I think when you have something good, you don’t change it. I don’t see why it’s safer. Why is it safer? They’re still crashing.” Trump stated that if the coach approved of the rule, he was fine with it.
However, recalling his initial reaction, he questioned the change, saying he had watched it for the first time weeks earlier and thought, “What the hell are they doing to football?” Despite the controversy surrounding the new kickoff rule, the recent game itself made history for other reasons.