Confirmed: Trump plans to attend rivalry football game between USC and Clemson
Former President Donald Trump will join longtime ally S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster at this Saturday’s rivalry football game between the University of South Carolina and Clemson in Columbia.
The Trump campaign confirmed the visit in an emailed announcement Tuesday afternoon, and a spokesman from the governor’s office also confirmed that Trump will visit the game at the invitation of the governor.
“Gov. McMaster and Lt. Gov. Evette look forward to joining President Trump this Saturday to show him first-hand the passion and tradition that makes this rivalry the greatest in college football,” said governor’s office spokesman Brandon Charochak.
It wasn’t immediately known what Trump’s visit will mean as far as heightened security, traffic congestion resulting from his motorcade, or whether it will affect the typical game day experienced for fans.
So far, one college football game this year already has attracted presidential hopefuls.
Trump, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy all attended the Iowa-Iowa State football game earlier this year to greet people in the state which holds the First in the Nation Republican Caucus.
Candidates walked around the tailgates to meet with potential voters in Ames, Iowa, home of Iowa State. Trump attended a tailgate at a fraternity, walked through the stadium concourse and watched the game in a sky box.
Whether he plans to do the same in Columbia on Saturday remains to be seen.
The USC-Clemson rivalry game takes place three months before the state’s First in the South Republican Presidential Primary.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is likely to attend the game, had suggested to Trump that if he were to attend any game in the state this season it should be the annual Palmetto Bowl.
On Tuesday, Nov. 14, McMaster, a long-time Trump supporter, said the former president had a standing invitation, though at the time he did not officially confirm whether the former president would attend the Palmetto Bowl.
Whether other presidential candidates will come to the game has yet to be confirmed.
“I think it’s a good game, so exciting, I think they all ought to be here,” McMaster said last week.
This story was originally published November 21, 2023 at 12:27 PM with the headline "Confirmed: Trump plans to attend rivalry football game between USC and Clemson."
