President Donald Trump addressed attendees at the White House on Monday, April 27, as he welcomed the Philadelphia Eagles to commemorate their Super Bowl victory. During the event on the South Lawn, Trump mentioned pop star Taylor Swift’s attendance at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she supported her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
“I was watching in person. I was there along with Taylor Swift, how did that work out? How did that one work out?” Trump remarked, eliciting laughter from the audience.
The Eagles triumphed over the Chiefs 40-22 in February’s championship, a game that gained extra attention due to Swift’s association with Kelce. The singer was notably booed when shown on the Caesars Superdome jumbotron during the first quarter.
This was not Trump’s first comment on Swift’s reception at the Super Bowl. Post-game in February, he posted on Truth Social that Swift “got BOOED out of the Stadium” and “MAGA is very unforgiving!”
Trump’s presence marked the first time a sitting president attended a Super Bowl, receiving mixed reactions. While some stadium videos showed cheers for Trump, others recorded boos. The response was mixed, with the stadium displaying a divide among supporters and critics.
Swift has a nuanced relationship with the Eagles. Before her relationship with Kelce, she identified as an Eagles fan during an Eras Tour concert at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Swift, who was raised in Pennsylvania, confirmed to concertgoers that a reference to an “Eagles T-shirt” in her song “Gold Rush” was indeed about the NFL team, not the band.
“Guys, like, c’mon. I’m from Philly. Of course, it is the team,” Swift stated at the Philadelphia concert.
Swift’s father, Scott, is publicly known as an Eagles fan, but since she began dating Kelce, Swift seems to have shifted her support to the Chiefs, frequently attending their games throughout the 2024-2025 season.
Trump’s comments arise as he attempts to arrange a White House visit for the 2020 Kansas City Chiefs team, who secured victory in Super Bowl LIV but missed the traditional White House visit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If this visit happens, Trump may meet Kelce.
During the February Super Bowl week, when it was announced that Trump would attend, Kelce made diplomatic comments about the president’s attendance. He told reporters that having the president there was “awesome” and “a great honor… no matter who the President is.”
The relationship between Trump and Swift has been tense. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Swift endorsed Trump’s opponent, Kamala Harris. Trump responded by criticizing Swift on social media and in television interviews, suggesting she would “probably pay a price for it in the marketplace.”
Despite the controversy over his comments on Swift, Trump maintained a positive tone during the Eagles celebration, commending the team’s Super Bowl performance, particularly praising running back Saquon Barkley.
Several key Eagles players, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, were absent from the White House event. The White House cited “scheduling conflicts” as the cause, without further detail.
The Eagles’ decisive victory over the Chiefs followed a season of strong performances. The Super Bowl was played on a field that Trump criticized as “frozen” and “stiff” due to modifications to the playing surface.
The Eagles’ White House visit continues the tradition of championship sports teams being honored by the president, though this practice has become more politicized in recent years, with some teams and players opting out of the ceremonial event.