The USTA (United States Tennis Association) asked broadcasters not to “showcase” the crowd’s responses to Trump’s appearance today at the men’s tennis final.
[I]n an email to broadcasters, including Sky Sports and ESPN, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) asked for coverage to “to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity”.
Naturally, social media ignored the “suggestion.” Trump Gets LOUDLY BOOED As Tennis Stunt BACKFIRES (starting at 3:09).
Raw story posted a story — Watch: Trump booed while attending US Open — which linked to this X video:
But some of the mainstream, particularly ESPN , also ignored the USTA. Donald Trump Booed at U.S. Open Men’s Final Match
When Trump was shown briefly on the jumbotrons at Arthur Ashe Stadium during the singing of the U.S. national anthem — with the president standing in salute — fans responded with an audible cascade of boos, as could be heard on ABC’s telecast. . . .
ESPN is broadcasting the U.S. Open men’s final on nationally on ABC, which aired the crowd reaction to Trump. [emphasis added]
The media is also talking about it a lot.
CNN: Trump greeted by mix of cheers and boos at US Open (The video discussed the booing, but did not actually play the sounds)
Rolling Stone: U.S. Open Crowd Booed Trump Repeatedly
A chorus of boos and sparse clapping greeted Donald Trump when the president arrived at the U.S. Open men’s final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City on Sunday. Later, the boos continued and could be heard on the national telecast during the national anthem. The crowd booed again when the president was shown on an arena screen during a set break.
NYT: Trump Is Met With Mostly Boos at U.S. Open as Security Delays a Match (a bit weaselly headline, as it hints that the booing was occasioned by the extra security. but a few paragraphs down the slant changed):
There was little demonstrable cheering or booing when Mr. Trump entered the main seating area at 2:30 p.m. for the national anthem.
But when he was shown on the video screens, fans unleashed a loud round of mostly boos, with some cheers mixed in. The president was on the screens only briefly, as he stood and saluted.
WaPo’s article was similar: Trump's US Open visit sparks boos and long security lines
President Donald Trump was loudly booed at the men’s final of the U.S. Open on Sunday, where extra security caused by his visit led to lines long enough that many people missed the start of play, even after organizers delayed it. . . .
Trump appeared again to more boos before the National Anthem. Standing in salute, the president was shown briefly on the arena’s big screens during the anthem, and offered a smirk that briefly made the boos louder.
(But at least they got the smirk in. Did the editors miss that one?)
Across the pond, the UK Independent was more pointed: Donald Trump arrives at US Open men’s final to cheers and boos after broadcasters asked not to show reactions
Donald Trump’s appearance on the big screen at the U.S Open was met with thunderous boos as he attended the men's singles final for the first time in a decade flanked by Cabinet members and family.
“Thunderous boos” — that’s the lead paragraph.
The Athletic reports other moments of booing: Donald Trump’s U.S. Open final appearance draws mixed reaction, prompts delay
When Alcaraz won the first set, the video board inside Ashe showed Trump. The boos and some cheers rose as Trump mouthed the words, “Thank you.” He raised his left fist and a fan in front of him, standing on the concourse, pointed toward the president.
(The Athletic adds that ABC did not broadcast this round of booing, but adds that the network was on a commercial break just then.)
In the (unfortunately) immortal words of JD Vance, enough of the media didn’t give a shit what Trump wanted.
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USA Today has an op-ed by Nancy Armour about how ESPN/ABC defied Trump: Boos of Donald Trump heard on ABC's broadcast of US Open. Good | Opinion
The U.S. Tennis Association’s request that broadcasters “refrain from showcasing any disruptions to the President's attendance in any capacity" was an embarrassment. This is not North Korea or Russia, and it is not ABC’s, ESPN’s or any other broadcaster’s job to stroke President Donald Trump’s ego. His vice president, Cabinet secretaries and Republican House leadership have that covered.
ABC and ESPN refused to kowtow. While they didn’t linger on Trump when he was shown during the national anthem ahead of the men’s final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, they didn’t filter out the reaction to him, either. The jeers and catcalls, resounding in Arthur Ashe Stadium, were clearly audible.
Armour also stresses the added bonus that this was ESPN doing this:
ABC and ESPN’s refusal to sugarcoat Trump’s reception was important for another reason, too.
Trump’s most diehard supporters often get their news from outlets — Fox News and X, to name two — that consider facts to be an inconvenience. These people are fed a steady diet of lies about Trump and his most horrific policies and ideas, giving them a worldview that does not reflect reality. . . .
Anything that can pierce Trump supporters’ bubble of misinformation is a good thing. Hearing Trump get jeered — loudly — for a couple of seconds during the U.S. Open broadcast might not cause the fever to break. But it could make his supporters question why.Trump's US Open visit sparks boos and long security lines
That smirk also got some unwanted attention: (7News Australia) Boos rain down on US President Donald Trump after arrival sparks chaos at US Open men’s final (repost of the AP wire story Trump's US Open visit sparks boos and long security lines):
Trump appeared again to more boos before the National Anthem. Standing in salute, the president was shown briefly on the arena’s big screens during the song, and offered a smirk that briefly made the boos louder.
UK Guardian: Crowd greets Donald Trump with boos and cheers at US Open men’s final
Donald Trump was booed and cheered at the US Open during the national anthem before Sunday’s men’s final. When stadium monitors showed him saluting as a member of West Point performed The Star-Spangled Banner, a burst of cheers sprang up and was quickly drowned out by boos, at which point the president offered a brief smirk. After the first changeover, he reappeared on the big screen and stayed up there for a while – causing fans to boo even longer until the camera cut away.
Even Fox had to admit all was not well in paradise: Trump receives mix of applause, boos during US Open appearance.
No reports of any shouts of Epstein! Epstein! Epstein!
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The White House “Rapid Response 47” was quick to fire back, within half an hour:
All these Fake News Losers do is lie because their pea-sized brains have been irreversibly destroyed by TDS.This is how it aired on TV. Note the cheers.
Now, this was posted at 1515 EDT, just after the booing, and well before most if not all of the media had reported anything (other than the live ESPN broadcast). So the press office not only knew he was booed, they knew that the media was going to ignore the USTA “request.”
I got this link from a side story in the UK Independent by a reporter who was there: I was in the stands as Donald Trump watched the US Open. Here’s what really happened. He adds:
Several sets into the match, it was time for another go. As Trump sat in the stands, the jumbotron showed the president and held his image on screen for a good 30 seconds. There were thunderous boos - but sparse cheers and clapping could also be heard.
This time, the White House made no response.
Is it just possible they realize they lost this round?
