On November 9, 2025, President Donald Trump attended the Washington Commanders versus Detroit Lions game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, becoming the first sitting U.S. president since Jimmy Carter in 1978 to witness a regular-season NFL regular-season game. The event connected sports, politics, and a multi-billion-dollar urban transformation project reshaping Washington, D.C.
Trump’s appearance marked only the third time a sitting U.S. president has attended an NFL regular-season game. According to NFL records, Richard Nixon attended a Redskins-Cowboys matchup at RFK Stadium in November 1969, and Jimmy Carter watched a Monday Night Football game between the same teams in December 1978. Trump earlier became the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl in person, witnessing the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in February 2025.
The visit was officially part of the NFL’s Salute to Service initiative, which honors military veterans and active-duty service members. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accompanied Trump throughout the event. During the third quarter, Trump appeared on the Fox broadcast alongside commentators, discussing his high school football experience at New York Military Academy and offering analysis on quarterback performance and NFL gameplay strategy. Trump praised former Saints quarterback Drew Brees, stating “he threw a ball you could catch,” and tried his hand at play-by-play commentary during a 2nd-and-7 Commanders play.
The Commanders fell to the Lions 44-22 in an exhibition that produced mixed crowd reactions during Trump’s stadium appearance. Trump participated in a military enlistment ceremony on the field, reading the oath for service members as part of the Salute to Service program. Air Force One conducted a dramatic low-level flyover of the stadium during the first quarter, captured on the video display and drawing cheers from sections of the crowd.
| Stadium Name | Naming Rights Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Most Current NFL Stadiums | Corporate Sponsor | Naming rights sold to corporations for hundreds of millions in multi-year contracts |
| Lambeau Field | Historic Person Name | Named after Curly Lambeau, legendary Green Bay Packers coach and co-founder |
| Soldier Field | Historic Memorial | Monument to World War I soldiers; protected by federal regulation. Naming protected by National Park Service |
| Proposed Commanders Stadium | Pending Decision | Would require approval from D.C. government and National Park Service. Trump has expressed interest in naming rights. Federal ethics rules apply to naming federal property. |
| Arrowhead Stadium | Hybrid Naming | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium—historic name preserved alongside corporate sponsor name |
Trump’s attendance at the November 9, 2025 Commanders-Lions game breaks a significant gap in U.S. presidential participation in regular-season professional football. Only Richard Nixon (1969) and Jimmy Carter (1978) previously attended such games while in office. The visit connected three major elements: a ceremonial military tribute through the Salute to Service program, presidential sports engagement at the highest level, and ongoing development of the $3.7 billion stadium project in Washington, D.C.
The Commanders’ planned return to the nation’s capital represents a major urban redevelopment initiative approved by D.C. legislators and backed by NFL leadership. The financing structure—with Josh Harris’ organization investing $2.7 billion and the district contributing approximately $1 billion—positions this as the largest private investment project in Washington, D.C. history. The naming question remains unresolved, pending approval from multiple government entities and federal authorities managing the historic RFK site.
The project’s timeline targets 2030 for stadium opening, contingent on completion of RFK Stadium demolition (expected fall 2026) and resolution of federal land transfer procedures. The 65,000-seat domed facility, alongside accompanying residential and mixed-use development across the 174-acre campus, will reshape the Southeast Washington skyline and regional economy for decades. Trump’s stadium visit, occurring as part of Salute to Service observances, connected presidential sports engagement with one of the nation’s most significant urban development initiatives.
