Trump’s battle for and with US sports

Following conservative outrage over the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony and, in particular, the depiction of a scene resembling that in Last Supper, former US president Donald Trump labeled the spectacle a disgrace.

The comments marked the most recent effort by the 2024 Republican presidential nominee to merge politics with sports and echoed other right-wing figures across Europe as well as Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Sporting events, from national competitions to the Olympic Games, help elevate regional and national pride and provide a powerful platform for cultural and political statements. Alongside international events, domestic US sports leagues and events are deeply embedded into national identity.

Their commercialization into billion-dollar businesses, alongside associated media, advertising, gambling, and other industries, has not only increased their scale but also added pressure to avoid controversies that threaten revenue.

Trump’s relationship with major US sporting leagues and entertainment has historically involved financial interests, and, more recently, political maneuvering. He has sought to align with or challenge established American sports leagues for economic and political benefit.

By doing so, he has disrupted the stability of the US domestic sports scene, upsetting the traditional balance of bread and circuses in the country. As the US Olympic team competes in Paris, any conflict with Trump may escalate tensions with some domestic leagues—which could have larger implications if he is reelected.

Team USA’s flagbearer at the Olympics, LeBron James, quickly found himself at odds with Trump shortly after the former president took office, trading comments in the media and on