Donald Trump received a rapturous welcome from college football fans on Saturday when he arrived for the SEC clash between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee.
Shortly after midday local time, Trump appeared on Neyland Stadium’s enormous jumbotron, prompting a deafening reaction from the sold-out crowd of more than 101,000 spectators.
Wearing a dark suit with a red tie, the president smiled and repeatedly raised his fist from inside a luxury suite as he acknowledged the thunderous ovation.
He was joined in the suite by political ally and Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, who wore the bright orange associated with the Volunteers.
Trump’s appearance followed an electric buildup in Knoxville, which began with an Air Force One flyover above Neyland Stadium.
The presidential aircraft landed at nearby McGhee Tyson Airport at 11.39am. Trump walked down stairs marked “Tennessee Air National Guard” and “Volunteers” before departing in a heavily secured motorcade bound for the University of Tennessee campus.
Donald Trump was greeted by roaring cheers from college football fans after arriving for the SEC showdown between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee
Trump appeared on Neyland Stadium’s giant jumbotron shortly after reaching Knoxville
Among those accompanying Trump for the high-profile matchup were Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty and local Representative Tim Burchett.
The president’s visit triggered a major security operation across the University of Tennessee campus. Stadium gates opened at 9am so the US Secret Service could screen the huge crowd at security checkpoints.
Secret Service agents, tactical teams and K-9 units maintained a prominent security presence around the stadium’s concourses and sidelines throughout the morning.
Trump’s attendance also created an unusual logistical concern for the Texas and Tennessee coaching staffs. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian had said that communication between coaches and quarterbacks through helmet radios could potentially be interrupted.
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“Anytime he enters the stadium, leaves the stadium or changes locations within the stadium, they cut all communication,” Sarkisian said earlier in the week.
“You have to have a plan to adjust if and when he comes in the middle of the first quarter, leaves in the fourth quarter, or decides he’s got to use the restroom.”
“I have confirmation from both teams, Texas and Tennessee, that they’ve worked with the Secret Service to make sure that their radio frequencies are cleared with the Secret Service. They think that the comms should be perfectly okay, coach to coach,” Rutledge said.
Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn shared a selfie with Trump from inside their stadium suite
Neyland Stadium erupted when Trump was shown on the jumbotron shortly after kickoff
Trump’s arrival capped an electric pre-game buildup that included an Air Force One flyover above Neyland Stadium
Snipers were stationed on Knoxville rooftops as heightened security measures were put in place
“The one concern they have is coach to player, but they have worked on all kinds of signaling. If that does go down, communication-wise, sources did tell me at major events like this, there’s always going to be electromagnetic deconfliction,” Rutledge added.
Despite her claim, just moments later, ABC’s broadcast suffered major technical issues, with Kirk Herbstreit’s microphone producing loud static as he spoke.
The clash carried immense football significance, marking the first start at Neyland Stadium for Texas sophomore quarterback Arch Manning, whose uncle Peyton Manning became a program legend in Knoxville.
Both powerhouse programs entered Saturday’s contest undefeated at 3-0, with Steve Sarkisian’s top-ranked Longhorns seeking to defend their crown and Tennessee aiming to score a monumental upset under the eyes of the commander-in-chief.