(NEXSTAR) — The White House confirmed President Donald Trump will attend Super Bowl LIX, marking the first time a sitting president has attended the game.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, when asked what it would feel like to play with Trump watching, said the opportunity would be “cool.”
“Yeah, I mean, it’s always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting president, someone at the top position in our country,” said Mahomes.
Earlier this week, the president — without committing to a favorite in the game — appeared to praise Mahomes, saying, “I don’t want to say, but there’s a certain quarterback that seems to be a pretty good winner,” according to the Associated Press.
Mahomes said he “didn’t see that clip” of Trump’s remarks, “but obviously, it’s cool to hear that he’s seen me play football and respects the game that I play,” Mahomes said.
The president’s appearance at Sunday’s game is expected to add another layer of security to an event that already has thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers working to protect visitors.
The U.S. Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the president, said in a statement Tuesday that it has had staff on the ground for days preparing for his visit. Trump will watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Extensive planning and coordination have been in place to ensure the safety of all attendees, players, and staff,” Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. “Security measures have been further enhanced this year, given that this will be the first time a sitting President of the United States will attend the event.”
Fans attending the game can expect more information in the coming days about what to expect regarding security checkpoints, he said.
Trump also plans to sit for an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier as part of the network’s preshow programming, which is set to be taped from Florida before the game. Presidents traditionally grant an interview to the network that’s broadcasting the football game, though both Trump and his predecessor, Joe Biden, were inconsistent about participating.
Trump, a New Yorker who now calls Florida home, has not indicated which team he’s supporting.
On Tuesday at the White House, Trump declined to answer a question from a reporter predicting a winner of the game.
Trump did, however, post a congratulatory message to the Chiefs after their AFC Championship win last month.
“Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs,” Trump said on his social media platform. “What a GREAT Team, Coach, Quarterback, and virtually everything else, including those fantastic FANS, that voted for me (MAGA!) in record numbers. Likewise, congratulations to the Buffalo Bills on a tremendous season. They will do a lot of winning long into the future!!!”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
