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President Donald Trump offered congratulations to Indiana and Miami ahead of their College Football Playoff championship showdown in Florida on Monday night, which he is expected to attend alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In a statement released by the White House, the president said college football reflects “our timeless American values of family, freedom, unity, and hard work,” calling it a symbol of the nation’s “spirit.”
“For more than 150 years, college football has been a cherished fixture in American culture. Every fall and winter, massive crowds flock to stadiums in college towns all across our Nation to witness the epic display of loyalty, rivalry, tradition, and regional identity erupting throughout the stands and on the field below. From the very first collegiate matchup in 1869, our country’s love of this storied Saturday ritual has been passed down from one generation to the next and endured as an iconic American institution,” his message read.
“At its best, college football reflects our timeless American values of family, freedom, unity, and hard work and represents the pinnacle of our national spirit.”
Trump, who has become an expected fixture at sporting events in both his first and second term, wished both teams luck as Indiana makes its first appearance in the national title game under second-year coach Curt Cignetti, and Miami seeks its sixth title and first in over 25 years.
“Melania and I congratulate the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes on making it to the College Football Playoff National Championship. God bless the talented players and dedicated coaches, the families who love and support them, and the faithful fans who cheer them on. May the best team win!”
Trump has made sports a priority in his second term, both as a matter of policy and personal interest.
TRUMP TO ATTEND COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN MIAMI WITH RUBIO
In February, he signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order, which prompted the NCAA to update its policy the following day to limit women’s competition to biological females.
Soon, other sports governing bodies followed suit, but a handful of Democrat-controlled states, most notably Maine, California, and Minnesota, refused to comply. Legal battles ensued, including two that were heard before the Supreme Court this month – Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J.
Trump has also spoken at length about the state of college athletics in the world of name, image and likeness (NIL). It was reported in May after a meeting with former Alabama head coach Nick Saban that he was considering an executive order to regulate NIL deals in college athletics. He then signed the “Saving College Sports” executive order in July which set new restrictions on payments to college athletes and implemented demands that schools account for preserving resources for non-revenue sports.
Outside of policy, Trump has attended several sporting events in his first year.
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In April, Trump sat alongside UFC President Dana White outside the octagon for UFC 314 in Miami and again two months later at UFC 316 in New Jersey. He also attended several events in September, including the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York and a New York Yankees game on Sept. 11, 24 years after the 9/11 attacks. He was also present at the U.S. Open men’s final earlier that month.
Trump attended the Washington Commanders game in November, becoming the first sitting president to attend an NFL regular-season game since 1978, when former President Jimmy Carter was in office.
Top-seeded Indiana, led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, will take on Miami at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, Monday at 7:45 p.m. ET.
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