Former President Donald Trump has announced he will not attend Super Bowl LX in San Francisco, citing the distance as a deterrent. The 79-year-old’s decision comes despite a frequent pattern of attending major sporting events, including recent appearances at the college football championship, the Army-Navy game, adn the U.S. open [3]. The proclamation adds another layer of intrigue to this year’s game, already generating discussion due to the selection of Bad Bunny and Green day as performers-artists who have publicly criticized Trump in the past.
Former President Donald Trump says he’s skipping Super Bowl LX, not because of the performers, but because the game is “just too far away.”
The 79-year-old told the New York Post that while he’d like to attend the February 8th game in San Francisco’s Levi Stadium, the travel distance is a deterrent.
“It’s just too far away. I would. I’ve gotten great hands for the Super Bowl, they like me,” Trump said.
“I would go if, you know, it was a little bit shorter,” he added.
Trump’s reception at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans was mixed, with both cheers and boos greeting his appearance. The flight from Washington, D.C. to New Orleans is approximately two hours and fifteen minutes, while a trip to San Francisco clocks in at around five-and-a-half hours.
This year’s Super Bowl is already generating buzz thanks to its planned entertainment. Bad Bunny and Green Day are set to take the stage, and the selection has sparked considerable discussion. The halftime show will feature the global sensation Bad Bunny, while Green Day will kick things off with the opening ceremony.
Both artists have been outspoken in their criticism of Trump, adding another layer to the event’s cultural significance. Before his Super Bowl booking, Bad Bunny stated he would pause touring in the U.S. due to concerns about ICE raids at his concerts.
Conservative commentators have expressed outrage over Bad Bunny’s selection, with some even calling for his deportation. Bad Bunny is a U.S. citizen by birth, having been born in Puerto Rico.
Trump previously criticized the Super Bowl selection in September, calling it “absolutely ridiculous.” He told viewers he hadn’t heard of the artist, but was confident in saying, “This guy, who hates ICE, he doesn’t like you, he accuses everything he doesn’t like of racism.”
Bay Area natives Green Day were announced as the opening ceremony performers earlier this week. The band, known for their politically charged music, previously targeted George W. Bush with their 2004 album American Idiot, and have updated their lyrics to reflect current political themes.
In recent performances of their hit song American Idiot, they’ve altered the lyric “I’m not a part of the redneck agenda” to “I’m not a part of the MAGA agenda.”
Trump criticized the Super Bowl’s musical guests, but insisted his decision to skip the game wasn’t related.
“I’m anti-them. I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible,” he said.
Trump has made a point of attending major sporting events throughout his career. He attended the college football championship game in Miami on Monday, a roughly two-hour flight from Washington, D.C., according to TravelMath.
He also attended the 2025 Army-Navy game in Baltimore, the 2025 U.S. Open Final in New York, the 2025 Ryder Cup, and is scheduled to attend this year’s Super Bowl.
