MEDINAH, Ill. — U.S. President Donald Trump will be at two big events this weekend: the Texas-Tennessee football game in Knoxville on Saturday, then Medinah Country Club in suburban Chicago on Sunday as the U.S. Presidents Cup team looks to beat the International squad for an 11th consecutive time.
Trump at golf tournaments is nothing new, of course, although this time he’s been given a custom presidential-themed golf cart as he serves as the honorary captain of the biennial competition. Ahead of the Presidents Cup, U.S. players who were asked about Trump attending were mostly supportive. Patrick Cantlay said “it’s great to have him on our side” and that Trump “hopefully gets the crowd going.” Chris Gotterup called it “pretty cool” to have the president coming to the event.
Secret Service preparation ramped up throughout the week, with additional security measures to be put in place for Sunday. Trump may participate in the trophy presentation Sunday afternoon, as he did in 2017 when he became the second sitting U.S. president to attend the event.
The jam-packed travel schedule is not out of the ordinary for the president, but the busy weekend of college football and golf adds to the astonishing number of major live sports on Trump’s agenda this year, now creeping into the double digits. Golf tournaments have been the most common—mainly at courses the president owns—but this year marked a noticeable spike in Trump’s presence at big sports competitions, especially as he leaned in to special USA 250–themed events. Fox Sports has even dubbed Trump “the Sports President.”
- CFP national championship in Miami, Jan. 19
- PGA Tour’s Cadillac Championship at Trump Doral, May 3
- LIV Golf Virginia, May 9
- NBA Finals Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, June 8
- UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, June 14
- FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, July 19
- LIV Golf New York at Trump Bedminster, Aug. 9
- IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., Aug. 23
- DP World Tour’s Irish Open at Trump Doonbeg, Sept. 13
- Texas-Tennessee in Knoxville, Sept. 26
- Presidents Cup in Chicago, Sept. 27
The impact of Trump’s attendance varies across each sporting event, often dependent on the type of venue hosting the competition.
At the World Cup final, attendees endured long security lines upon entering MetLife Stadium, some lasting several hours. But no events this year have had delays in the actual competition due to Trump’s presence like what happened at the 2025 US Open men’s singles final in New York. However, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian revealed earlier this week that sidelines headset communications get cut for coaches and players whenever Trump moves locations within a stadium or exits the venue. The White House disputed the claim.
At stadiums and arenas, Trump typically sits in luxury suites, which can require heavy security from the Secret Service, like at Madison Square Garden for the NBA Finals—and comes with a hefty price tag. Trump’s trip to the Daytona 500 in 2025 cost the Secret Service more than half a million dollars, while his trip to Super Bowl LIX cost $120,000. How much the Secret Service has spent on sporting events in total this year has not yet been released.
Golf courses present a particular security challenge, with fans roaming across multiple acres, although the president almost always stays in a central location like the clubhouse or VIP hospitality suite. The 2025 Ryder Cup was able to welcome Trump relatively smoothly on its opening day despite intense added security at Bethpage Black in New York.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said in last month’s announcement about Trump attending the Presidents Cup: “His participation will help elevate the event on the international stage while furthering our mission of bringing people together through the game of golf.”
Trump’s appearances come as his approval rating dipped to a record-low 29% this past week, according to an American Research Group poll. With three months left before the calendar turns to 2027, Trump’s year of sports could keep growing. The World Series and primetime NFL games could be likely targets for the president to make his way to.
