NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s first visit to the US Open since 2015 garnered the same reception as the last time he came as a private citizen.
With a lot of booing.
Briefly shown on the video board in Arthur Ashe Stadium during the national anthem, Trump gave a salute and a wry smile while hearing some jeers from the New York crowd.
At that point, though, the stadium was only half full because of the massive lines for extra security checks that had formed as fans attempted to enter the gates. The U.S. Tennis Association pushed the official start time of the match from 2 p.m. to 2:30 because of the entry delays, but there were still several thousand empty seats by the time it started close to 2:50 p.m.
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Trump, who came as a guest in the Rolex-sponsored suite, was shown again after the first set. This time, he was more loudly booed for roughly 30 seconds as he looked straight ahead with a bemused expression.
By the start of the second set, the stadium had filled in and looked more like a US Open final crowd.
Trump was a frequent attendee here when he was a private citizen living in New York. His last appearance came a decade ago during his first presidential primary campaign. He was lustily booed during a quarterfinal match between Venus and Serena Williams on that occasion.
After word of Trump appearance circulated, the tennis newsletter Bounces reported that the USTA had sent an e-mail to broadcasters, including ESPN, asking them not to show disruptions or reactions in response to his attendance.
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Trump is the first president to attend the US Open since Bill Clinton in 2000.