President Trump was cheered by sports fans Monday as he attended the College Football Playoff National Championship in Miami.
Trump waved to the crowd from a suite at Hard Rock Stadium during the singing of the national anthem ahead of the game between the Miami Hurricanes and Indiana Hoosiers.
The president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, and at least four of his grandchildren were spotted in the suite with the commander-in-chief.
Kai Trump, the daughter of the president’s eldest son Don Jr. and an incoming University of Miami golfer, wore a cast on her arm and smiled as the camera focused on Trump’s booth.
The president’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump and former daughter-in-law and Kai’s mom, Vanessa Trump, were also in attendance.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were among the Trump administration officials seated near the president.
UFC boss Dana White visited Trump’s suite during the game, according to a White House pool report.
“Melania and I congratulate the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes on making it to the College Football Playoff National Championship,” the president said in a statement released by the White House.
“God bless the talented players and dedicated coaches, the families who love and support them, and the faithful fans who cheer them on,” Trump added. “May the best team win!”
Monday’s event is not the first college football title game the president has attended.
In his first term, Trump traveled to Atlanta in 2018 for the CFP National Championship between the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide.
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The president also received a raucous welcome in New Orleans, where he and Melania watched LSU take on Clemson for the national championship in 2020.
Last month, Trump was on the field for the coin toss to kick off the 126th Army-Navy game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
“At its best, college football reflects our timeless American values of family, freedom, unity, and hard work and represents the pinnacle of our national spirit,” the president’s statement read.
“It is seen in the players whose focus, discipline, and unwavering grit are forged in every practice and workout. It is upheld by the coaches who set high standards, demand greatness, and help cultivate incredible student-athletes — and even better Americans — who stop at nothing to achieve their God-given potential both on and off the field.
“And it is sustained by the fans whose dedication gives college football its lasting meaning, passion, and glory.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Miami native and Hurricanes fan, was seen on the sidelines of Hard Rock Stadium with his Secret Service detail before the pre-game festivities.
At one point, Rubio was reportedly chatting with Heisman-trophy-winning ex-quarterback Tim Tebow.
On New Year’s Eve, Rubio and War Secretary Pete Hegseth were photographed sneakily watching the Miami Hurricanes battle the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl, on a cellphone, during festivities at the president’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla.
