Trump Walks on College Football Championship Field to Raucous Cheers and 'USA' Chants
The crowd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans erupted with enthusiasm Monday night as President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump appeared on the field prior to the national championship football game between Louisiana State University and Clemson University.
LSU won the game, 42-25, claiming its first national championship since the 2007-08 season.
The president and first lady walked onto the field shortly before the playing of the national anthem to wild cheers and applause.
Giant video boards around the stadium carried their images. As they walked to their places on the 15-yard line, they waved at those cheering for them and greeted some of those on the field.
Their arrival was met by thundering cheers of “Four more years” and “U-S-A,” according to the White House media pool report:
The Trumps walked with the honor guard to the 40-yard line for the anthem, which the president sang along to.
The crowd went absolutely wild for @realDonaldTrump
and @FLOTUS
at the College Football National Championship game as they walked onto the field.Chants of “USA” broke out.
This is America.#LSUvsCLEM pic.twitter.com/dEn6MjDai8
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 14, 2020
Donald Trump just arrived to the #NationalChampionship game to chants of USA USA#LSUvsCLEM pic.twitter.com/VXLcAfbwtU
— Bobby (@Bobby84837810) January 14, 2020
The reaction inside Mercedes-Benz Superdome to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walked onto the field. pic.twitter.com/DgbWxvy6cW
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) January 14, 2020
As the Trumps left the field, the president thanked those around him.
One reporter asked Trump which team he favored.
“Both,” Trump replied, per the White House media pool report.
The Trumps stayed at the game until the third quarter, and left with LSU leading 35-25, USA Today reported.
Monday night’s event was President Trump’s second LSU game, according to Fox News.
In November, he want to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for a game between LSU and the University of Alabama.
Prior to leaving Washington, D.C., for the game, Trump spoke briefly to the media.
“[W]e’re going to the game. It’ll be a great game. It’ll be something that a lot of people want to see. And we’ll be in New Orleans, and we look forward to it,” he said, according to the White House media pool report.
Trump replied to one question on the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.
“Well, first of all, I think it’s been totally consistent. But here’s what’s been consistent: We killed Soleimani, the number-one terrorist in the world by every account. Bad person. Killed a lot of Americans, killed a lot of people. We killed him,” Trump said.
“And when the Democrats try and defend him, it’s a disgrace to our country. They can’t do that. And, let me tell you, it’s not working politically very well for them. So, we killed the number-one terrorist in the world — Soleimani — and it should have been done 20 years ago.”
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