On Sunday, President Donald Trump found himself at the center of a dramatic and embarrassing moment during his attendance at the Washington Commanders' game against the Detroit Lions at Maryland's Northwest Stadium.
The incident took place during a military enlistment ceremony, where Trump was tasked with leading the oath of enlistment for the crowd, per The Guardian.
However, what he likely didn't expect was to be met with loud boos and middle fingers from sections of the crowd.
Trump Faces a Mixed Reception from Fans at Northwest Stadium
Trump, who was attending the NFL game as part of a ceremonial role, faced a significant amount of jeering from the crowd as he appeared on the stadium screens late in the first half and was introduced during halftime.
The Washington DC area, which has long supported the Democratic party, wasn’t exactly rolling out the red carpet for the former president.
His presence at the game was greeted with a blend of boos and some scattered cheers, with many fans expressing their discontent loudly.
The scene was described as “brutal” by MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski, who commented that both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looked “shell-shocked” by the reception.
This wasn’t the first time Trump faced a hostile crowd in Washington, either. Back in 2019, he was greeted with “lock him up” chants at the Washington Nationals’ home stadium during the World Series.
Trump’s Oath of Enlistment Reading: A Humorous Misunderstanding
The most memorable moment, however, came when Trump read the military oath of enlistment to the crowd.
As part of the NFL's league-wide Salute to Service initiative, Trump was encouraging new recruits to recite the oath after him.
Instead of using his own name, he said, “and state your name,” prompting a wave of comments from social media users who found the moment both strange and humorous.
One X user asked: “Does he say ‘I [and state your name]’,” while another quipped that the “funniest part” of Trump being booed was hearing him say “[state your name]” out loud instead of his own name.
However, this wasn’t a mistake by the president.
Trump was guiding others to follow the proper format of the oath, which involves the recruit saying their name, not his.
The full oath reads: “I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”
The Significance of Trump’s Appearance: A Historic First in Nearly 50 Years
Despite the negative reactions, Trump’s appearance was still historically significant. He became the first sitting U.S. president in nearly 50 years to attend a regular-season NFL game, with Jimmy Carter being the last president to do so in 1978.
Trump arrived at the game a bit late, but he did manage to make a statement to reporters, commenting: “We’re gonna have a good game. Things are going along very well. The country’s doing well. The Democrats have to open it up,” referencing the ongoing government shutdown at the time.
As for the game itself, Trump seemed to enjoy the atmosphere, despite the Commanders’ crushing 44-22 defeat.
In the first quarter, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown even celebrated a touchdown by performing a “Trump dance,” which had become a fun trend among athletes over the past year.
St. Brown said: “I heard Trump was going to be [here], I don’t know how many times the president’s going to be at the game, so just decided to have some fun.”