President Donald Trump insisted that he is 'not happy about' the rising cost of subscription fees to watch NFL games after the DOJ launched an investigation into the league
13:38 ET, 10 May 2026Updated 13:39 ET, 10 May 2026
Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House
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Donald Trump shared his thoughts on the DOJ's antitrust investigation into the NFL(Image: Getty Images)
President Donald Trump provided his two cents on the Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust investigation into the NFL before reaffirming his disdain for one of the league’s rule changes.
But he faced more questions over his sharpness on social media after claiming fans are paying "$1,000 per game" to watch the NFL, leading to fears over his cognitive state and his understanding of the issue.
Last month, the DOJ launched a probe into the NFL’s media rights deals to determine whether the league’s distribution model is forcing viewers to overpay for games through rising subscription fees. A bombshell report from the Wall Street Journal alleged that FOX Sports owner Rupert Murdoch “lobbied” Trump to help intervene in the matter.
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In recent years, multiple streaming giants have purchased the broadcasting rights to NFL contests, including Amazon’s Prime Video, Netflix and Peacock. The influx of streaming platforms into the football landscape has taken a toll on fans’ pockets, with a Forbes estimate suggesting that it could cost approximately $765 to stream every game during the 2025 campaign.
The growing shift of live sports content toward streaming services would also have a negative impact on broadcast networks, according to Murdoch. The Washington Post stated: “Murdoch and his top lieutenants warned Trump that if streamers gained rights to more games, it would kill broadcast networks (like Fox).”
While making an appearance on ‘Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson,’ Trump expressed his disapproval for the exorbitant cost of watching NFL games. “It's tough. You got people that love football,” he said.
“They're great people. They don't make enough money to go and pay this. It's tough.”
Rams and Eagles players line up for a dynamic kickoff
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Donald Trump once again slammed the NFL's dynamic kickoff formation(Image: Getty Images)
Trump swiftly turned his attention to the NFL’s “dynamic kickoff,” which he’s repeatedly slammed since the league rolled it out for the first time during the 2024 season.
“And they could be killing the golden goose,” he added. “I mean, they have that stupid kickoff thing that you can't watch. It's unwatchable.
“I hate the games where they have the new phony kickoff. I don't think it's any safer. I hope college football doesn't do that.”
Shifting gears back to the Department of Justice’s ongoing antitrust investigation into the NFL, Trump continued: “They have to be careful because, you know, others have tried this and all of a sudden you don't have a sport anymore.
“There's something very sad when they take football away from many, many people. Very sad. I don't like it.”
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When asked directly if he believes the government will step in to mitigate the soaring subscription costs, Trump stopped short of making any official commitments.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” he concluded. “They're making a lot of money. They could make a little bit less and they could let the people see.
“You have people that live for Sunday. They can't think about anything else. And then all of a sudden they're going to have to pay $1,000 a game. It's crazy. So I'm not happy about it.”
But many felt Trump's complaints were out of touch with reality.
"This is a clear example of him having age related illness..." one user wrote. Another said: "He’s a rambling man who doesn’t engage his brain before opening his mouth."
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Another commented: "I don’t pay anything to watch football Fox or NFL RedZone. He has no idea what anything costs regular Americans." and others added: "I watch free on Fox, CBS, ABC, or NBC."
Another wrote: "Honest question, has anyone this clueless ever held this much power? He never seems to know anything about anything hes asked." and one viewer added: "When does media finally call out his dementia? Had Biden said this, criticism would have been nonstop."