Conflicting reports on the way Donald Trump was received by attendees to a US Open game over the weekend have caused quite the stir online.
For those out of the loop with the controversy, the 79-year-old Republican attend the Men's Singles Final in New York for the first time in over a decade, having been booed out of the Arthur Ashe Stadium in 2015.
In viral photographs, Trump can be seen perched on the edge of his seat to see Italy's Jannik Sinner take on Spain's Carlos Alcaraz.
He was joined by US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, White House Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, as well as his son-in-law Jared Kushner and granddaughter Arabella.
Advert
Apparently, however, Trump's appearance at the match triggered mass backlash for several reasons - the first being the unprecedented amount of traffic to the court.
According to Page Six, both tennis fans and huge-name stars were obstructed from taking to their seats due to the mass of security needed to ensure the right-wing leader's safety.
A source allegedly 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."
The insider added that Trump's team had 'stopped entry in so many ways', forcing the likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas and Ben Stiller to 'wait in like, like everyone else'.
Debra Messing, meanwhile, was reportedly left 'sat in a car for an hour and they wouldn’t let her out', whilst Lindsay Lohan is also said to have been spotted wandering around one of the lots.
According to The Telegraph, a number of non-famous attendees - several of whom had forked out thousands of dollars for tickets - ended up stuck outside of the game for the first set, which had already been delayed by 37 minutes.
The second reason Trump's attendance to the match has set tongues wagging, is that several news outlets have been accused of falsely reporting that the President was welcomed with 'cheers'.
This directly contradicts claims made by hundreds of attendees - as well as viral social media footage - in which he could be heard being booed.
After the New York Post alleged Trump had been 'cheered' whilst appearing on the court, one user hit out: "I’m currently here and he was roundly booed. He retreated back into the suite."
Another hit out at the publication: "Booed so loud it was awesome! Everyone hates donny diapers and your propaganda won’t change that."
"He was not cheered everyone booed so loud the stadium shook," a third claimed. "Literally working here rn."
Another penned: "Lol I was there. He was booed."
Such was the story also reported by The Telegraph, whose reporters were in the stands to witness the mass boos first heard when Trump's face was plastered on the big screen during the first set.
Arguably more controversial, is that several TV broadcasters were reportedly instructed by the United States Tennis Association not to air any of Trump's boos during his attendance.
An email from the body instructing TV outlets to 'censor' distractions - first reported by Bounces - went on to say: "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."
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, News, Sport, Politics
Rhianna Benson