On Sunday, September 7, Donald Trump faced a harsh reception at the US Open as he was met with boos, an incident that was caught on TV.
While the tournament primarily focuses on tennis, this year’s event has included some notable off-court incidents. One such incident involved a man who was seen taking Kamil Majchrzak’s hat from a young fan who appeared to have received it from the player.
The US Open final was held on Sunday between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, with Trump present in New York City.
Cameras caught the moment when the former president was acknowledged as a member of West Point performed The Star-Spangled Banner before the men’s final started.
Trump was met with boos, similar to when he first arrived at the match. This marked his first appearance at the US Open since 2015, back when he was initiating his 2016 campaign.
Although there was a brief round of applause, it quickly turned into a loud chorus of boos.
Trump responded with an awkward smile upon realizing the crowd’s reaction as he made his way to a seat next to a winner’s trophy, after being invited to the final by Rolex, reported by the Guardian.
After returning to the capital, Trump spoke to reporters and expressed that he ‘loved’ attending the final despite the negative reception.
“The fans were really nice. I didn’t know what to expect,” Trump stated. “Usually you would say that would be a somewhat ‘progressive,’ as they say nowadays, crowd.”
Some attendees were still outside when Trump was booed and the match commenced, with some attributing the delays to the president and the increased security measures.
Kevin, a spectator, expressed his frustration to Reuters after waiting over an hour, saying: “One hundred percent him. Very selfish. I would expect someone like that to have a little bit more grace to know that an event like this would be held up for him being here, especially in a city that hates him.”
A spokesperson for the Secret Service acknowledged the situation, stating: “We recognise that enhanced security for the US President’s visit to the US Open may have contributed to delays for attendees. We sincerely thank every fan for their patience and understanding.”