Donald Trump was heavily booed at the New York Knicks’ NBA Finals game.Image: keystone
According to media reports, US President Donald Trump should forego the US national team’s World Cup opener against Paraguay. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be present instead. Trump was recently loudly booed at the NBA Finals in New York.
June 11, 2026, 06:01June 11, 2026, 06:08
Like the US news magazine Politico Reportedly, Donald Trump will not be present at the US national team’s first game at the World Cup, which is about to begin in his own country. Instead, the American government will be represented by Foreign Minister Marco Rubio at the game against Paraguay on Friday. Other government members such as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who has only recently been in office, will accompany Rubio at the game in Los Angeles, a spokesman for the US State Department announced.
Marco Rubio is to represent the US government at the start of the World Cup instead of Donald Trump.Image: keystone
It is not clear why Trump, who otherwise enjoys and frequently attends sporting events, should skip the opening game of the world’s most watched sporting event in his own country. Especially since Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña had already announced that he would attend the game. The White House itself has not yet commented on the report.
Trump recently attended an NBA Finals game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs in his hometown. The fans in New York did not appreciate the presence of the president, who was particularly unpopular there, and booed loudly when Trump appeared on the screen during the national anthem.
There were also expressions of displeasure towards the 79-year-old around the arena, where fan events had been canceled for security reasons because of Trump. Even in Los Angeles, the majority of the population is not necessarily well disposed towards Trump – the US President would probably have to expect further negative reactions if he attended a game. (con)