Donald Trump Was Met With Boos and Cheers at the US Open Even as Broadcasters Were Directed to Mute the Crowd

7 September 2025

Donald Trump at the US Open on Sept. 7. Matthew Stockman/Getty

On a sunlit afternoon at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, the 2025 US Open men's final became more than a stage for tennis it became a stage for spectacle. President Donald Trump, attending the match as a guest of luxury watchmaker Rolex, made his entrance into the Rolex box just before the 2 p.m. start, and set off an immediate wave of reaction that ranged from cheers to resounding boos.

As Trump appeared on camera, a tense chorus of emotions surfaced in the crowd. Inside the stadium, reactions echoed powerfully some spectators cheered, others booed, and the tension between applause and derision rippled through the stands. Despite the electric reactions, the United States Tennis Association had quietly warned broadcasters not to show any audience response to Trump’s presence. The memo went out to networks with a request to preempt any “distractions” stemming from political reactions, urging them to maintain focus on the sport.

That directive marked a profound moment of censorship via omission. On one hand, officials framed it as standard practice to avoid off-court disruptions. On the other, critics said it was an illiberal move that muted democracy in real time. With fans visibly divided, the atmosphere bristled with tension between authenticity and imposed silence.

Outside the venue, delays caused by heightened security underpinned the drama unfolding inside. Fans waited in lines longer than usual many for well over an hour as Secret Service protocols and checks slowed entry and forced the match to begin thirty minutes late.

Within that delay, passions were raw. One Brooklyn attendee, frustrated after waiting an hour and fifteen minutes, loudly blamed Trump for the disruption, calling his visit “selfish” and lacking in grace. Others, however, shrugged off the intrusion to simply enjoy the match.

Though much of mainstream coverage sought to downplay the crowd’s reaction, viewers at home didn’t escape it entirely. ABC and ESPN, despite the USTA’s request, allowed moments of boos to filter through especially during the national anthem when Trump was shown, eliciting audible disapproval along with muted applause. Those fleeting fragments of dissent found their way across media platforms, from Sky Sports to MSNBC, sparking debate about media gatekeeping and editorial ethics.

Amid it all, Trump watched the match largely impassive. He offered a brief wave and a thin-smiling nod, seemingly indifferent to the ambivalent welcome. The match and its charged context quickly shifted attention back to tennis. Carlos Alcaraz ultimately triumphed over Jannik Sinner, reclaiming top ranking as the crowd's focus returned to athleticism rather than politics.

Trump’s appearance at the Open was not without controversy. He was accompanied by high-profile aides and family members, including Melania Trump, Jared Kushner, and Attorney General Pam Bondi. The appearance drew comparisons to authoritarian optics, with critics drawing parallels to state displays of power in contrast to the historically low-key presences of presidents like Obama or Clinton at such events.

Ultimately, the day at the US Open cracked open a larger conversation about politics intersecting with sports, media neutrality, and the limits of public expression. While tennis matches are meant to be judged by winners and losers on court, Sunday's final was measured by a different scale one in which democracy, optics, and outrage collided.