Fact Check: Did Trump really air crypto-donation ad before the Super Bowl?

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA: Ahead of the Super Bowl, a claim circulated on social media platforms that President Donald Trump used the pre-game broadcast on Sunday to seek campaign donations in cryptocurrency. He reportedly also issued a presidential message praising the NFL championship as a defining American tradition. Let us fact-check the claim.

Claim: Donald Trump asked supporters to donate to cryptocurrency 

According to the claim, during Fox’s NFL pre-game show, an announcement-style video featuring Trump urging supporters to donate digitally, with the POTUS claiming he would 'double the money' contributed.

The broadcast also featured Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Some viewers claimed that the video was AI-generated, which prompted social media users to question its authenticity and label it a 'scam.'

Fact Check: The video is authentic

The video broadcast was indeed authentic, during which a 30-second commercial promoting 'Trump Accounts,' tax-advantaged investment accounts for children, was also aired. 

The advertisement was backed by Invest America, a Trump-aligned nonprofit, and was not funded by the federal government. Industry estimates place the cost of a national Super Bowl commercial at about $8 million.

“A scam stream of the Super Bowl featuring Trump asking for people to send him crypto has 99k viewers right now,” one social media user wrote.

Donald Trump skips Super Bowl and criticises halftime

Despite making history last year as the first sitting US president to attend the event, Trump did not attend the Super Bowl clash between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

He had earlier told the New York Post he would skip the game, citing distance.

In his televised message, Trump described the Super Bowl as more than a sporting event. “On the field, players and coaches bring years of hard work, preparation, and commitment to football’s biggest night,” he said.

“Across the country, millions of fans come together to cheer on their teams and share in a moment of history. Today, every American is a football fan.”

Trump also criticised the entertainment lineup, singling out halftime performer Bad Bunny and pre-game act Green Day.

“I’m anti-them. I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible,” he said. Despite the criticism, Green Day performed 'Holiday' and 'American Idiot' before kickoff without making political remarks.