Trump fuels outrage after he is caught 'sleeping' at US Open after making thousands of fans miss match
Donald Trump has sparked backlash online after he was spotted looking like he was nodding off during the US Open on Sunday (7 September).
The 79-year-old American president attended the tense men's singles final of the tennis tournament in New York, which saw Carlos Alcaraz triumph over Jannik Sinner.
It's the first time he's returned to watch the annual sports tournament in over a decade, after he was booed out of the Arthur Ashe Stadium in 2015.
And it seems that unfortunately for Trump, this time wasn't majorly different, according to reports from spectators, who said the Republican leader was booed and jeered at when he appeared on the big screen.
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However, those of us watching at home from around the US and the world were unlikely to notice this, as broadcasters were reportedly instructed by The United States Tennis Association (USTA) to censor any 'reaction' directed at the president - a move that's caused controversy online.
The email, obtained by Bounces, read: "With respect to Broadcast Coverage, the President will be shown on the World Feed and the Ashe Court Feed during the opening anthem ceremony.
"We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity, including ENG [Electronic News Gathering] coverage.”
On top of this, Trump's attendance caused some issues for fans - hundreds of them missed the start of the match due to the increased security measures put in place for his arrival at Flushing Meadows.
According to Page Six, both hordes of tennis fans and even huge-name stars were obstructed from taking to their seats due to the huge amount of security needed to ensure the world leader's safety.
A source told the publication: "It is an absolute s**t show. Cars can’t get into parking lots and people are walking miles.
"Even celebs are having to wait like normies."
They added that Trump's team had 'stopped entry in so many ways', forcing even A-listers including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas and Ben Stiller to 'wait in like, like everyone else'.
Then, once he got seated in a box at the court, another matter of conduct has rubbed fans up the wrong way.
In images from the match, Trump was seen with his eyes closed, seemingly falling asleep at certain points - and social media was quick to point it out.
Someone took to Twitter to simply write: "Good times at the US Open," alongside a picture of the president with his eyes closed.
Meanwhile a second and third added: "He decided to have nap time at the US Open" and "Sleepy Trump!!!"
"Trump is asleep while many fans are spending 2 hours in line trying to get into the US Open because of security with Trump there," penned one angry tennis fan.
While another added to the heat, with: "#USOpen First Trump delays Tournament start. Then he falls asleep."
And someone else raged: "This is the guy who criticised Biden for talking asleep! We're getting MORE pictures of the Trump SLEEPING EVERY DAY!"
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, News, US News, Sport, Social Media, Twitter
Madison Burgess