Trump’s Super Bowl viewing party was held last night at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Cameras flashed, trumpets blared and college cheerleaders waved their pompoms.
According to the Sun Sentinel, the Florida Atlantic University marching band played “Hail to the Chief,” “Boogie Wonderland” and “Shut Up and Dance.”
WATCH: President Trump and the First Lady visit with college cheerleaders and a college band outside of the president’s golf course in south Florida ahead of the #SuperBowl. pic.twitter.com/hlmUdeZrej
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 4, 2018
“Fantastic. So great, thank you so much,” Trump told them after he and Melania watched the performance. “That was so great, great job, great talent, enjoy the game.”
Trump and the Patriots
Trump is friends with Patriots owner Bob Kraft (as well as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady).
Kraft, whose $6.2 billion net worth (as of Feb. 5) stems from assets in paper manufacturing, told New York Daily News that Trump called him “once a week for a whole year,” to check up on him after his wife died in 2011.
“When Myra died, Melania and Donald came up to the funeral in our synagogue, then they came for memorial week to visit with me,” Kraft said. “Then he called me once a week for the whole year, the most depressing year of my life when I was down and out. He called me every week to see how I was doing, invited me to things, tried to lift my spirits. He was one of five or six people that were like that. I remember that.”
When Trump signed his massive tax bill into legislation before Christmas, he said that Kraft had called him the night before to express his support.
“A friend of mine, Bob Kraft, called me last night. He said this tax bill is incredible,” Trump related. “He owns the New England Patriots, but he’s in the paper business, and he said based on this tax bill he just wanted to let me know that he’s going to buy a big plant in the great state of North Carolina and he’s going to build a tremendous paper mill there or paper products plant.”
The Kraft Group, which Kraft is chairman of (hence the name), released a statement that day confirming their conversation and announcing that his “personal taxes will be increasing, a position he supports and expressed to the President months ago was the right thing to do with this piece of legislation for the benefit of all Americans.”
New England Patriots owner Mr. Bob Kraft had a private conversation yesterday with @realDonaldTrump to express his support for the tax bill that was just signed. Kraft Group spox says as they understand the bill, Mr. Kraft’s personal taxes will increase, “a position he supports” pic.twitter.com/nrxGqPTHnv
— Pat Ward (@WardDPatrick) December 22, 2017
Trump’s Super Bowl Sunday
The first couple and family left the Super Bowl party during the third quarter to fly back to the White House. They reportedly left early last year too, missing the Patriots’ comeback win over the Falcons.
Before the game, a statement from the White House press secretary’s office was posted to Twitter on behalf of the president. The “Presidential Message on Super Bowl LII,” began, “As many Americans come together to watch the Super bowl, Melania and I extend our greetings and appreciation for those who make occasions like this possible, particularly the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.”
The second paragraph concluded with, “We hold them in our hearts and thank them for our freedom as we proudly stand for the National Anthem.”
In message from @POTUS on #SuperBowl, a salute to US service members: “We hold them in our hearts and thank them for our freedom as we proudly stand for the National Anthem.” pic.twitter.com/v4y6HC7Ah0
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 4, 2018
The president refused to tell reporters which team he supported in last night’s game. When asked earlier this week, according to Sun Sentinel, Trump said, “I better not get involved.”
And once the Eagles won? Trump took to Twitter to congratulate the New England team on their 41 to 33 triumph.
Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles on a great Super Bowl victory!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018
