Donald Trump Posts Video of Himself Facing Cheers, Boos at NCAA Event

President Donald Trump shared a video of his largely warm reception at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) wrestling championships in Philadelphia on Saturday where he was met with cheers and a standing ovation, though some in the crowd also booed.

Why It Matters

Trump has long been a polarizing figure in American politics and business, with many supporters viewing him extremely favorably while others expressing strong dislike for the president.

As both president-elect and president, he made several high-profile appearances at major sporting events, including the Super Bowl, an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight, and the Daytona 500, among others.

What To Know

On Saturday night, Trump attended the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia, a predominantly blue city in the swing state of Pennsylvania, which backed him in last year's election. In a video he posted to Truth Social, his social media platform, the crowd can be seen standing, applauding, and at one point chanting "USA! USA!"—a familiar refrain from Trump rallies.

Some attendees, however, booed the president, highlighting his mixed reception, though the crowd was largely supportive. Outside, there were reports of up to 300 demonstrators protesting against Trump's appearance, according to NBC10.

An estimated 110,000 people were in attendance across the course of the NCAA wrestling sessions which took place in the Wells Fargo Center across three days. Each session drew around 18,000 fans.

Trump was seen sitting next to GOP Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick, with billionaire Elon Musk and Representative Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, sitting nearby next to each other.

Oklahoma State wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson saluted Trump after winning the heavyweight final. With an American flag draped over him, Hendrickson hugged the president.

What People Are Saying

Pennsylvania State wrestler Mitchell Mesenbrink said about Trump attending the event: "We want to get people to watch, right? We want people to watch wrestling. We want people to funnel, not just money, but people's time, and attention is money. So, I think that's cool. And I think if it was a conservative or liberal, it would be really really cool. Democrat or Republican, whoever it is, it's the president of the United States. The leader of the free world at our wrestling event, that's really cool when you think about it that way."

President Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday ahead of his attendance: "We're going to the big fight. The reason I'm going is in Philadelphia. They have the NCAA, world, wrestling for college. And I've always supported the wrestlers. So, I want to support them. These are the great college wrestlers from the various schools. I think Penn State is leading, and Nebraska is in second place right now. And a lot of good things."

Pennsylvania State wrestler Josh Barr said about Trump's visit to the matches: "It's a great honor for the sport of wrestling. The sport of wrestling is in a place where it needs growth. It needs life and energy behind it, and President Trump brings it. I think it's a great thing for the sport."

Link Lauren, former senior adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., wrote in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Saturday: "Whether it's the Super Bowl, the Army-Navy Game, or the NCAA Wrestling Championships, President Trump understands the power of sports to bring Americans together. Americans from all political ideologies can unite for a few hours under one roof. It's one of the many reasons he's the people's champ himself."

What Happens Next?

​As of now, there is no publicly confirmed information regarding Trump's attendance at other upcoming sporting events.