Donald Trump supporters voiced their frustration with NBC’s broadcast of Sunday night’s game between the New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers, claiming the network barely acknowledged the former president’s presence in the stands. Trump, who attended the game at Acrisure Stadium, was briefly shown on TV during the first quarter, prompting disappointment among his supporters who expected more coverage.
Trump’s appearance garnered attention from fans in the stadium, where video footage captured nearby fans waving at him and chanting “USA” during a break in the action. This footage, filmed by Trump’s deputy director of communications, Margo Martin, quickly went viral. Despite this enthusiastic reception from fans, NBC’s broadcast only briefly cut to Trump, showing him for a few seconds. In contrast, the network’s coverage of Taylor Swift at recent Chiefs games, where she’s often seen supporting her rumored boyfriend Travis Kelce, has been far more frequent, something Trump supporters quickly pointed out.
Martin’s video was retweeted by author John Le Fevre, who noted, “On average, NBC shows Taylor Swift seven times during an NFL broadcast. Tonight, they showed Trump only once, and just for a few seconds.” This sentiment was echoed by many Trump fans on social media, with one user stating, “It was very brief, but you know it killed NBC to have to acknowledge Trump’s presence. But if it was Taylor Swift, they would have dedicated a three-minute segment to it.”
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Another viewer expressed similar frustration, saying, “Taylor Swift is shown by NBC Sports at least five times a quarter. But a U.S. President is only shown once for a span of three seconds. Pathetic.”
Charlie Kirk, a YouTuber and Trump supporter, shared footage of the stands around Trump erupting in a “USA” chant, tweeting, “Actual footage of the Steelers game tonight NBC won’t show you.”
The comparison between Swift’s frequent appearances and Trump’s brief cameo became a focal point for many viewers. Swift, whose attendance at Chiefs games has generated significant media attention, has not always been warmly received by football fans. Some have expressed annoyance at the amount of airtime she receives during broadcasts, despite her massive global fanbase outside of football.
One viewer humorously weighed in, tweeting, “The NFL should only show Taylor Swift during the game as much as they show Donald Trump.”
Political divisions also colored the reactions. Swift has publicly voiced her support for Kamala Harris in the upcoming election, a stance that contrasts with Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has shown support for Trump.
Trump, in turn, expressed his gratitude toward Brittany Mahomes earlier this year, writing on his social media platform, Truth Social: “I want to thank beautiful Brittany Mahomes for so strongly defending me, and the fact that MAGA is the greatest and most powerful Political Movement in the History of our now Failing Country.”
Trump’s presence at the game came amid his ongoing campaign efforts, as he vies for re-election against Harris in the upcoming election.
He spent the weekend rallying in Pennsylvania, a key swing state, where former NFL player Antonio Brown spoke at one of his events. Brown, who was traded from Pittsburgh in 2018, took the opportunity to mock Democratic candidates Harris and Tim Walz during the rally. He also helped register Trump supporters at Acrisure Stadium ahead of the game.
Trump has been spending time in western Pennsylvania in an effort to win back the state, which supported him in 2016 but flipped to the Democrats in 2020. He also recently appeared on the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast, hosted by former NFL players Will Compton and Taylor Lewan, where he discussed his admiration for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, his past attempt to buy the Buffalo Bills, and his friendship with UFC president Dana White.
Before arriving at the Steelers-Jets game, Trump entertained fans with a humorous AI-generated photo that showed him wearing a Steelers uniform, suggesting his allegiance for the night.
And if that was indeed the case, Trump would have left the stadium happy, as the Steelers secured a 37-15 victory over the Jets.
