‘The Fans Were Great!’ Trump Shakes Off Relentless Booing During Anthem at US Open
President Donald Trump was unfazed by some fans booing him during the national anthem at the U.S. Open men’s tennis finals on Sunday, telling reporters later in the day that the “progressive” New York City fans were “great.”
The president, speaking to reporters at Andrews Air Force Base, also complimented the two finalists, Jannik Sinner of Italy and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who won the Grand Slam title in four sets.
“I loved it,” Trump said. “First of all, the two players have unbelievable talent. It just seemed that they hit the ball harder than I’ve ever seen before. Incredible talent. And I enjoyed it.”
The president continued:
“I used to go [to the event] all the time, but lately it’s a little bit more more difficult to go. I really enjoyed it. They were really nice, the fans were really nice. I didn’t know what to expect. Usually, you would say that would be a somewhat-progressive — as they say nowadays — crowd. Sometimes, some people would call it liberal. But we’ll use the word they like to use — progressive. But they were great. The fans were great.”
His chipper response came after the ESPN broadcast caught a chorus of boos against the president — while others cheered him on — when his face was shown on the stadium’s big screen. Trump was saluting the flag and grinning alongside Attorney General Pam Bondi when the crowd caught a glimpse of him.
The U.S. Open, as it is every year, was played at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York — Trump’s native borough.
On Friday, Alcaraz admitted he did not want to think about Trump attending the match, because he worried it might make him “nervous.” That did not appear to be an issue on Sunday.
Watch above via Fox News.