President Donald Trumpwas given a largely raucous reception when he walked intothe NCAA wrestling championshipson Saturday nightfor the second time in three years.
Trump made his way into Wells Fargo Center not long after 7pm ET, cutting off an interview with a wrestler being broadcast on ESPN.
The Republican was given a standing ovation as he emerged from the bowels of the arena, waving to his fans and shaking hands. There was a smattering of boos but they were drowned out by chants of ‘USA’.
Trump then took his seat in a VIP section by the mat next to Senator Dave McCormick and his wife Dina Powell.
Trump’s entourage at the event also included Elon Musk, Republican Jim Jordan, a two-time NCAA national champion wrestler, Outkick founder Clay Travis and his chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Trump was pictured landing at Philadelphia International Airport on Air Force One just earlier in the evening and was greeted by Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin and his wife Christie Mullin.
Donald Trump was given a standing ovation as he emerged from the bowels of the arena
Fans filmed the president and chanted ‘USA’ as he walked out to a standing ovation
Trump then took his seat in a VIP section by the mat next to Senator Dave McCormick
Trump shakes hands with Elon Musk and the rest of his entourage, who were sat by the mat
Republican Jim Jordan, a two-time NCAA national champion wrestler, speaks with Musk
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was also among Trump’s entourage at the event
The A-list entourage was in Philadelphia to watch Penn State try and secure its fourth straight men’s team title.
It is the latest example of how Trump as mostly limited travel early in his new term to trips built around sports events.
The Republican president spent Friday night at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey, about 70 miles northeast of Philadelphia, on what was his first visit there of his second term.
‘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,’ Trump told reporters as he left the White House on Friday evening.
‘I want to support them. These are the great college wrestlers from the various schools.’
In the two-plus months since returning to the White House, Trump attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans and the Daytona 500 in Florida, where his motorcade drove a portion of the track. While president-elect he went to a UFC fight in New York.
That’s more travel for sports than for policy announcements or official duties, though a long January swing took Trump to tour damage from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and wildfires in Los Angeles.
He then gave a speech and visited the floor of Las Vegas’ Circa Resort & Casino before heading to Doral, Florida, to address a House Republican policy conference.
President Donald Trump arrived in Philadelphia for the NCAA wrestling championships
U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin and his wife Christie were there to greet the president
Elon Musk was also in attendance as Trump’s entourage made their way across the city
A member of the secret service stands outside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia
Trump has long built his public and political persona around sporting events, and relishes turning up at live events to hear cheers from the crowd, even if some in attendance boo him.
He also has signed an executive order intended to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’a sports – an action which he points to frequently to fire up his core supporters.
The president has used most Saturdays and Sundays to play golf at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, though he also sometimes remained in Washington to give weekend speeches.
Trump was a candidate when he went to the 2023 NCAA wrestling championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma.