This could also be part of a ploy to gain more control over American institutions, experts say. As president, Trump has “asserted his dominance over politics, higher education and corporations,” and sports is “another venue he is trying to influence,” said The Boston Globe. While “most presidents have tried to use sports to unite a divided nation,... See more

“The infusion of sports culture and politics is a way that Donald Trump can demonstrate wins,” Rottinghaus adds. “It’s one thing to eliminate DEI at agencies in government that most people have never heard of, it’s another to get the NFL and individual teams to change the way that they message their product. That’s a different kind of win that’s... See more

For Trump, then, sports are not just entertainment or policy – they are political infrastructure. They allow him to amplify grievances, mobilise identity, and project a vision of America rooted in toughness, discipline, and global visibility on his terms.