He comes, he cheers, they lose. Team Europe’s Ryder Cup victory has added to a string of upsets at sporting events attended by President Donald Trump.
From golf to soccer to the Super Bowl, Trump’s return to the sports circuit this year has coincided with a surprising pattern: the team or player expected to win often doesn’t.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Trump is a big sports fan who relishes the spotlight at major events, though the reception isn’t always welcoming.
He has attended numerous major sporting events since he returned to the White House in January, including the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, the FIFA Club World Cup Final, the US Open men’s final and the NCAA wrestling championships. Social media users have previously talked about a “Trump curse,” pointing to teams and players the president has supported who have then gone on to lose.
What To Know
Team USA entered the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Long Island as favorites.
But after Trump, an avid golf fan, attended the opening round on Friday, it was Team Europe who clinched a 15-13 victory. The president congratulated Team Europe after they posted a video taunting him following the team’s win, apparently taking the taunt in jest.
Earlier in September, Trump watched Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz win the US Open over Italy’s Jannik Sinner, who had been the favorite to win.
In July, Trump marked the one-year anniversary of a failed attempt on his life by watching Chelsea’s win over Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup Final.
After the match, Trump acknowledged that PSG had been heavily favored to win. “It was an upset today I guess,” Trump told reporters after flying back to Washington. “But it was a great match.”
And just weeks after returning to office, Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs had been favored to secure a third consecutive championship, but it was the Philadelphia Eagles that triumphed.
But Trump’s presence hasn’t jinxed the favored team on every occasion. The New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers despite Trump’s attendance at the game on the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
What People Are Saying
Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday in response to Team Europe’s video following their victory in the Ryder Cup: “Yes, I’m watching. Congratulations!”
What Happens Next
Trump is scheduled to host a UFC event at the White House next year, to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Meanwhile, 11 U.S. cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle are scheduled to host matches during the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Last week, the president threatened to relocate matches away from cities he thinks are not safe.