Trump to Attend NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump will attend the NCAA Men’s Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia on Saturday, continuing his trend of prioritizing sports events in his second term. The trip marks his second visit to the wrestling finals in three years. Trump’s recent travel has focused heavily on sporting events rather than traditional policy appearances.
Trump’s NCAA Visit: Quick Looks
- Trump to attend NCAA Wrestling Championships Saturday night in Philadelphia
- Will watch Penn State attempt to clinch fourth straight team title
- Continues his pattern of early-term travel centered around major sports events
- Previously appeared at Super Bowl, Daytona 500, and UFC fight
- Trump calls college wrestlers “great athletes” he wants to support
- Signed executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports
- Spent Friday night at Bedminster golf club in New Jersey
- Uses weekend golf and speeches to connect with base and media
Trump to Attend NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia
Deep Look
Trump to Attend NCAA Wrestling Finals, Keeping Focus on Sports-Centric Appearances
President Donald Trump will make an appearance at the NCAA Men’s Wrestling Championships on Saturday night in Philadelphia, further underscoring how his early second-term travel has largely focused on attending high-profile sports events.
Trump is expected to arrive at the Wells Fargo Center after 7 p.m. EDT, where powerhouse Penn State is favored to capture its fourth consecutive men’s team title. It will mark Trump’s second time attending the NCAA wrestling championships, following a similar visit in 2023 as a candidate during his third presidential run.
“We’re going to the big fight,” Trump told reporters Friday as he left the White House. “They have the NCAA wrestling for college in Philadelphia. I’ve always supported the wrestlers. These are the great college wrestlers from the various schools.”
Trump spent Friday night at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club—roughly 70 miles from the Philadelphia arena. It was his first visit to the private club since beginning his second term in January.
Since returning to office, Trump’s travel schedule has leaned heavily into sports. In February, he attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. Shortly after, he appeared at the Daytona 500 in Florida, where his motorcade even took a ceremonial lap on the racetrack. As president-elect, Trump also attended a UFC event at Madison Square Garden in New York.
While he has made some disaster-related and policy appearances—visiting hurricane and wildfire sites in North Carolina and California, respectively—Trump has clearly chosen sports as the most visible aspect of his domestic travel. In January, he gave a speech in Las Vegas and visited the trading floor at Circa Resort & Casino before appearing at a GOP policy conference in Doral, Florida.
The sports-centric schedule is nothing new for Trump, who has long tied his personal brand to high-energy events. His presence at major games often draws loud reactions from the crowd—typically cheers from core supporters, though sometimes mixed with boos. The appearances allow him to project strength, enthusiasm, and populist appeal to a loyal base.
He’s also used these opportunities to highlight his stance on hot-button issues. Trump frequently references his executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports—a move that resonates deeply with his conservative voter base.
“He knows exactly what audiences he’s speaking to when he walks into a stadium,” said a senior campaign advisor, noting that Trump sees sporting events as “a direct line to the American people, especially working-class voters.”
So far in 2025, Trump has maintained a consistent weekend rhythm—playing golf at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida or delivering speeches across key swing states. The White House has yet to confirm whether he’ll speak during his Philadelphia visit or simply attend the NCAA finals as a spectator.
Saturday’s event continues Trump’s long-standing pattern of blending sports with politics, making him one of the most visible presidents at live athletic competitions in recent memory.
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