Uproar over hefty price tag for President Donald Trump's appearance at the 2025 Super Bowl

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: Donald Trump just etched his name into Super Bowl history as he became the first sitting US president to ever attend the Super Bowl — showing up at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9.

But while the 78-year-old president was all smiles watching the Philadelphia Eagles dominate the Kansas City Chiefs with a 40-22 victory, the big question his critics had wasn’t about football—it was about how much taxpayer money was spent on his attendance. And the numbers being thrown around are eye-watering, to say the least.

Critics speculate over cost of Donald Trump's Super Bowl trip

Naturally, critics on social media began crunching numbers and throwing around wild theories. Depending on who you ask, Donald Trump’s Super Bowl trip could have cost anywhere from a few million to a staggering $20 million.

One Threads user boldly claimed: "Trump attending the Super Bowl will cost taxpayers an additional $4 million," as quoted by Unilad. 

But over on X (formerly Twitter), some users broke down the estimated costs and it was enough to make taxpayers cringe.

One individual stated, "Donald Trump spent years screeching about the NFL but now he's happy to go to the Super Bowl at a cost of around $20 million on the taxpayer dime."

"For all you MAGA folks concerned about government efficiency and tax payer money being wasted…. Trump’s little trip to the Super Bowl, this evening, will cost tax payers $5 MILLION," another wrote.

"Secret Service: $7M to $10M. Air Travel and Motorcade: $4M-5M. Stadium Security Upgrades: Additional metal detectors, bomb sweeps, security checkpoints: $2M. Local Law Enforcement: Overtime & personnel: $1M. Trump's Super Bowl attendance: $15 to $20M. Where’s DOGE?" someone else asked.

"The grift is on. Trump going to the Superbowl is going to cost American taxpayers 15 to 20 million dollars. Grifting trump," opined another.

One said, "Trump and daughter at Super Bowl - cost to taxpayers - 20 million! Where is @DOGE @SenJoniErnst this is unacceptable- why don’t you let us decide what we want to pay for - not this."

DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) is the new government watchdog group headed by Elon Musk, designed to streamline federal spending by slashing jobs and cutting costs.

However, the problem is that none of these figures have been officially verified. While there's no doubt that hosting a sitting president at the Super Bowl comes with a hefty price tag, the actual cost remains unclear. Neither the White House nor security agencies have released official figures, and those viral posts don’t cite any official sources.

But security did seem to be on another level for this year’s Super Bowl. Given the heightened threats against Trump following two assassination attempts during the campaign, the Secret Service and local law enforcement stepped up big time.

Donald Trump’s Super Bowl speech

Before the game kicked off, Donald Trump dropped a statement that was dripping in patriotism, football, family, and freedom.

"I look forward to joining the fans in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX to cheer on two great teams - the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles - as they battle for the National Football League’s Vince Lombardi Trophy," he began.

"The coaches, players, and team staff on the field tonight represent the best of the best in professional football, but they also embody the best of the American Dream. Their hard work, dedication, and tenacity is admirable, and their individual journeys are as inspiring as the drive and determination that has led them to this extraordinary moment," Trump continued.

He also doubled down on his message of patriotism.

"Football is America’s most popular sport - for good reason - it fosters a sense of national unity, bringing families, friends, and fans together and strengthening communities. This annual tradition transcends our differences and personifies our shared patriotic values of family, faith, and freedom heroically defended by our military service members, law enforcement officers, and first responders. We value their devotion to protecting our great Nation and salute their selfless service," the commander-in-chief concluded.

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