President Donald Trump is expected to attend Sunday’s game between the Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
Trump will be celebrating the NFL’s “Salute to Service” initiative ahead of Veterans Day, according to a Friday statement from Commanders president Mark Clouse.
“We are honored to welcome President Trump to the game as we celebrate those who have served and continue to serve our country,” Clouse said in the statement.
“The entire Commanders organization is proud to participate in the NFL’s league-wide Salute to Service initiative, recognizing the dedication and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans, active-duty service members and their families this Sunday.”
Trump is set to share a box with majority Commanders owner Josh Harris, Pat McAfee reported on his show Friday.
A general view of Northwest Stadium during an NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The news comes during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The disruption of funding has even had an effect on the NFL’s Salute to Service events, which take place across the league every November.
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As reported by The Washington Post Thursday, the Pentagon issued guidance to the military that, because of the funding complications from the shutdown, “official outreach activities” are prohibited.
That means that outreach appearances that would be paid from the Pentagon’s annual budget, such as “jet and jump demonstration teams, bands and ceremonial unit appearances, port visits, service weeks and nonprofit and corporate leader outreach” are not currently permitted, The Post reported, citing documentation in its Wednesday report.
That said, other organizations have stepped up to fill the void, according to The Post, which noted that the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Ohio conducted a flyover to honor military service members for a Cincinnati Bengals home game against the Chicago Bears last weekend.
As for Trump, he’ll reportedly be the first U.S. president to attend an NFL game at Northwest Stadium.
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This summer, Trump threatened to throw a wrench in the Commanders’ new stadium deal if the franchise didn’t restore its former name, suggesting that the Commanders would be “much more valuable” if they reverted to their old branding.
“I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,” Trump said on his social media site at the time, per ESPN.
Harris’ ownership group bought the Commanders from former owner Dan Snyder in 2023, and Harris has notably stood by the franchise’s new name.
Trump ultimately didn’t hold up the Commanders’ stadium project. It received final approval in September, signifying the franchise’s eventual return to D.C.
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In an 11-2 vote, the D.C. City Council officially green-lighted a $3.8 billion project that includes the building of a new Commanders stadium on the old RFK Stadium site, which the organization inhabited from 1961-96, and also the development of the surrounding area, as reported by The Athletic.
The Commanders are hoping to debut their new stadium in 2030.