Protest and extended security waits accompany Donald Trump's appearance at the US Open tournament

Donald Trump Attends U.S. Open Amidst Controversy

President Donald Trump made an appearance at the U.S. Open on Sunday, marking his latest visit to a major sports event during his second term. The former President was invited to the final by Swiss luxury watchmaker Rolex and attended the match as their guest in the Rolex suite at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City.

Trump's attendance at the tournament, held in his home city of Queens, stirred controversy. The Trump Organization suspended its U.S. Open suite in 2017, during the first year of Trump's first term. Critics argue that Trump has blurred lines between political and foreign policy decisions and efforts to boost the profits of his family business.

Trump's visit was met with boos from the crowd at the men's final. As he was shown on the arena's big screens during the National Anthem, his smirk briefly made the boos louder. Attendees steered clear of wearing "Make America Great Again" caps at the U.S. Open.

Organizers delayed the start of the match half an hour due to increased security associated with Trump's visit. Despite this, many seats, especially those in upper rows, stayed empty for nearly an hour. The final still featured long lines of attendees waiting to get in when play began.

The U.S. will host the Group of 20 summit in December 2026 at Trump's Doral golf resort in Florida, a move that has also been met with criticism. Trump has promoted his cryptocurrency interests and luxury golf properties during his presidency.

Among the celebrities attending the U.S. Open were Pink, Bruce Springsteen, and Shonda Rhimes, who publicly backed Vice President Kamala Harris during last year's election. No major street protests against Trump could be seen from the tournament's main stadium on Sunday.

Going to the U.S. Open was the latest example of Trump having built the bulk of his second term's domestic travel around attending major sports events. Prior to the U.S. Open, Trump attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia, and the FIFA Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Trump raised his left fist in salute as the noise continued after the National Anthem. Despite the controversy surrounding his visit, Trump was brief in his appearance, emerging from his suite about 45 minutes before the match started and leaving shortly after.