
These days, even the cheapest nosebleed seats at the Super Bowl will set you back a fortune.
While plenty of fans spent hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars to witness Kendrick’s halftime show and what many hoped would be the Eagles ending the Chiefs’ dynasty, few could say they paid more than Donald Trump.
Reports estimate that the sitting President shelled out somewhere between $15 million and $20 million—a cost driven by Secret Service protection, air travel, motorcades, local law enforcement, and enhanced stadium security.
Despite making history as the first sitting U.S. President to attend a Super Bowl, Trump didn’t stay for the whole event. According to a POTUS flight tracker, he left early, with his departure recorded around 8 p.m. local time—right when Lamar was taking the stage for the halftime show.
Naturally, this sparked plenty of speculation online about why he made such an early exit.
Theory One: Trump Is a Chiefs Fan
A popular theory circulating on Twitter suggests that Trump’s apparent frustration stemmed from the Kansas City Chiefs getting dominated by the Philadelphia Eagles.
While Trump has never explicitly stated his allegiance to any NFL team, he has spoken more favorably about the Chiefs in the past. Notably, Brittany Mahomes—wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes—is rumored to be a Trump supporter. Additionally, star tight end Travis Kelce once said that it was “an honor” to play in front of any president when asked about Trump attending a game.

This prompted one fan to post a picture of Kelce online with the caption: “Imagine saying ‘it’s an honor’ for Trump to watch you play at the Super Bowl only for him to leave early cause y’all was getting beat so bad. LOOOOSSEEERRRRRR.”