PA MediaUS president Donald Trump marked the one-year anniversary of a failed attempt on his life on Sunday, joining family, friends and close advisers to witness Chelsea’s dominating Fifa Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
The president joined players on the field after the match to congratulate the tournament’s outstanding performers, present PSG players with their runner-up medals and hand Chelsea their championship trophy.
“It was an upset today I guess,” Trump told reporters after flying back to Washington following Chelsea’s victory. “But it was a great match.”
Trump and first lady Melania Trump were greeted with cheers as they arrived at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey just ahead of the pre-match performance by musical artists Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini. But the president got a smattering of boos when he was briefly shown on the stadium’s mega-screen.
Chelsea spoiled PSG’s bid to win its fourth major title of the season, dominating throughout the match and racing to a 3-0 lead in the first half.
Sunday’s match fell on the first anniversary of the assassination attempt Trump survived in Butler, Pennsylvania, while campaigning for president.
PA Media“It remains my firm conviction that God alone saved me that day for a righteous purpose: to restore our beloved republic to greatness and to rescue our nation from those who seek its ruin,” Trump said in a statement released on Sunday night after he returned to Washington.
He also hailed doctors, emergency services personnel and rallygoers who helped guide other attendees to safety, saying: “These men and women arrived at the rally grounds as ordinary Americans, but left as heroes.”
The international sporting match also offered an opportunity for Trump and aides to huddle with Qatari government officials.
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, in a brief exchange with reporters ahead of the match, said he remained “hopeful” about Gaza ceasefire and hostage negotiations.
PA MediaWitkoff, who joined Trump for the tournament finale, appeared to nod affirmatively when asked by reporters if he planned on meeting with senior officials from the Gulf nation of Qatar, which is serving as an intermediary with Hamas in the talks, during the match.
“I’ll be meeting them,” Witkoff said.
Sporting events have made up the bulk of Trump’s trips in the US since taking office this year.
In addition to his visit to the football this weekend, he has attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Florida, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, and the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia.
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