The Commanders–Lions game in Washington on Sunday delivered one of the most unusual scenes of the 2025 NFL season. US President Donald Trump was loudly booed during a swearing-in ceremony for military enlistees, turning a standard halftime tribute into a political moment. The incident occurred on November 9, 2025, and was first reported byYahoo. Videos shared by Asianet News showed the boos overpowering Trump’s voice as he read the Oath of Enlistment.
Later, a viral post was captioned, “US President Donald Trump faced loud boosand mixed chants during a military enlistee swearing-in ceremony at an NFL game in Washington, D.C. The crowd reaction came as Trump took the field to honor recruits, turning what was meant to be a patriotic moment into a political flashpoint,” which has caused a buzz in the NFL realm.
Trump Booed at NFL Game During Military Swearing-In Ceremony
US President Donald Trump faced loud boos and mixed chants during a military enlistee swearing-in ceremony at an NFL game in Washington, D.C. The crowd reaction came as Trump took the field to honor new recruits,… pic.twitter.com/okYPH4YJBP
— Asianet News English (@AsianetNewsEN) November 10, 2025
A Routine NFL Ceremony Turns Into a Public Referendum on Trump
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Nov 9, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; President Donald Trump gestures to fans while standing next to U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (L) after swearing in a new group of U.S. military recruits during halftime of the game between the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders as part of the NFL Salute to Service initiative at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Crowd reactions to political figures at sporting events are nothing new, but Sunday’s response carried an intensity that surprised even veteran NFL reporters. Trump became the first sitting president in nearly fifty years to attend a regular-season NFL game, and the anticipation surrounding his appearance was already high. His presence at Northwest Stadium came only days after reports that he wanted Washington’s new stadium named after him. That context added weight to an already sensitive environment.
As Trump showed up on the big screen during the opening half, people reacted in different ways. According to India Today on November 10, 2025, claps and jeers initially overlapped, but then the negative shouts grew louder. The atmosphere shifted again at halftime, when Trump delivered the military oath from a private suite. FTW’s Andrew Joseph noted that the boos were so loud they drowned out the stadium PA system. That sequence became the defining moment of the night.
Asianet News provided the most unmistakable visual evidence. Their footage captured loud crowd sounds drowning out Trump’s speech, causing him to stop short. As he tried to continue, people kept shouting, which the channel called a clearly hostile reaction – proof that the event quickly lost its planned vibe. Halftime usually honors service members with a solemn pledge, yet this time, boos revealed how sports arenas now echo political divides.
The Commanders’ fans have a history of voicing frustration toward leadership figures, whether political or organizational. That pattern held again on Sunday. The timing of the reaction mattered too. Washington entered Week 10 with questions surrounding their rebuild, and Trump’s appearance injected a national storyline into a local football moment.
The ceremony’s purpose was to honor service members. Instead, it became a referendum on Trump’s popularity inside one of the league’s most passionate markets. The moment validated the title phrase reported by India Today: “a patriotic moment into a political flashpoint.” It also illustrated how the NFL stages often absorb the broader tensions of the country, will likely or not.