Trump Takes The Field Before Title Game To Applause, Boos

President Trump "walked onto the field" prior to the start of the CFP title game and was "greeted by a smattering of applause and boos before he stood with ROTC members for the national anthem." Footage of the appearance showed him "singing along to the national anthem" (POLITICO.com, 1/8). Officials "shut down Mercedes-Benz Stadium about 5:45pm ET when Trump was on his way, leaving thousands of fans (and some media members) stranded in the rain until the president was inside the stadium" (USA TODAY, 1/9). Trump was reportedly scheduled to "appear on the Alabama radio broadcast during the game, but that didn't happen" (AP, 1/8).

Before the game, Trump protesters "took on his devout supporters" in Atlanta outside CNN Center for "about an hour." Police officers "stood nearby and surveyed the action on the crowded sidewalk, though cause for significant intervention never materialized" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/9).