The roar of the Super Bowl won't directly hear from Donald Trump this year, but his voice will be a significant part of the pre-game conversation. He’s agreed to a revealing interview with NBC News, a surprising turn given his past reluctance to engage with the network.
Segments of the interview will unfold over two broadcasts: a first glimpse on Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m., followed by more insights just before the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots clash on Sunday. This marks the first in-depth conversation between Trump and NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas since Llamas took the helm last year.
This agreement arrives eight years after Trump famously declined a pre-game interview opportunity during a previous Super Bowl. NBC News, a frequent target of his criticisms throughout his political career, now finds itself hosting this exclusive dialogue.
The network has a precedent for these high-profile pre-game interviews, having secured a sit-down with former President Joe Biden when they last hosted the Super Bowl in 2022. That interview proved to be Biden’s final pre-Super Bowl appearance while in office, as he declined subsequent requests.
Interestingly, after Biden opted out of a 2024 interview, Trump proactively offered CBS News an opportunity for a similar conversation. This demonstrates a clear desire to control the narrative surrounding the nation’s biggest sporting event.
For Trump, this interview serves as his closest connection to the Super Bowl, as he won’t be present in person. He publicly cited his disapproval of the scheduled halftime performers, Bad Bunny and Green Day, as the reason for his absence.
The choice of performers themselves has already stirred controversy. Bad Bunny’s recent political statement at the Grammy Awards, calling out ICE, prompted a response from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who emphasized the unifying potential of the halftime show platform.
As the clock ticks down to the 6:30 p.m. kickoff on Sunday, February 8th, all eyes will be on both the field and the unfolding interview. The pre-game discussion promises to be as compelling as the game itself, offering a rare glimpse into the thoughts of a former president.
