Donald Trump does not plan to attend the USA hockey team’s championship game against Canada in Boston this week, according to reports.
The matchup between USA and Canada comes amid rising tensions between the two nations after Trump recently threatened to impose tariffs on the latter.
The two nations played out a brutal game in Montreal on Saturday, which saw three fights inside the first nine seconds.
Emotions were running high throughout after Canada fans, in front of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, furiously booed ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ as it played pre-game.
Ahead of Thursday’s championship game in Boston, USA hockey’s general manager Bill Guerin urged president Trump to cheer them on from the stands amid the rivalry with Canada.
Yet according to hockey insider Frank Seravalli, the 78-year-old currently has no plans to be there.
Donald Trump does not plan to attend the USA hockey team’s final against Canada this week
The USA hockey team said they would ‘love it’ if Trump was to attend Thursday’s game
‘President Trump is not planning on attending Thursday’s USA vs. Canada #4Nations championship game in Boston, per sources,’ Seravalli wrote on X.
Trump has ignited a fierce rivalry with Canada after threatening to impose tariffs, while he also suggested the country could become America’s ’51st state’ and called Trudeau ‘governor’, prompting backlash from the longtime ally.
In recent weeks a host of Canadian sporting fixtures have been marred by booing of the American national anthem, while US fans have also retaliated by jeering the Canadian equivalent.
Speaking on ‘America’s Newsroom’ on Monday, Guerin spoke out on the chaos involving the two nations.
‘Canada-U.S. is a huge rivalry in hockey,’ the USA hockey general manager said.
‘I think there was a little bit of a political flare to it [last Saturday’s game]. It’s just the time that we’re in.
‘I think our guys used that as inspiration. If you let it get the better of you, then you’re in trouble. But I really do think the players used it as inspiration.’
Guerin also called that game ‘the highest level of hockey ever played’ and extended an invite to Trump to attend in Boston.
But reports suggest the president will not be there for Thursday’s championship game
The two nations played out a brutal game Saturday, which saw three fights in nine seconds
He continued: ‘We would love it if President Trump was in attendance.
‘We have a room full of proud American players and coaches and staff and listen, we’re just trying to represent our country the best way we can.’
Trump most recently attended NASCAR’s Daytona 500 event in Florida at the weekend, having also headed to New Orleans to watch the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs on February 9.
But it appears he will not be accepting the invitation to attend Thursday’s hockey final between his country and Canada.
Recent matchups have garnered attention over the booing of national anthems amid the controversy surrounding Trump, which will likely reach boiling point this week.
Ahead of the game on Thursday, ESPN’s Sean McDonough expressed his wish that American fans decide to not boo the Canadian national anthem as their neighbors to the north have done a few times in recent weeks.
Tensions were running high throughout after Canada fans booed ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’
‘I really hope our people don’t boo the anthem,’ McDonough said on Boston sports radio station WEEI on Tuesday.
McDonough, a Boston native and a part-time radio broadcaster for baseball’s Boston Red Sox added, ‘Let’s be better than that. I think we all have a lot of respect for what a great country Canada is. And the political things that have led the Canadians recently.
‘I understand it from their perspective, especially having been up there for several days. So, let’s be better than that and be respectful of their anthem and cheer like hell for our own.’
