Trump to host commissioners of major US sports leagues for planning America's 250th birthday

Hadriana Lowenkron and Randall Williams, Bloomberg News on Jan 22, 2026

Published in Football

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Commissioners from top U.S. men’s pro sports leagues are expected to visit the White House as early as next week to discuss President Donald Trump’s plans for celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, according to people familiar with the matter.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred are expected to attend the meeting, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the event which isn’t yet public. The White House and the leagues didn’t respond to requests for comment.

To prepare for the 250th anniversary, Congress created a nonpartisan initiative called America250 in 2016. It lists the NFL on its website as a programming partner, while MLB announced in 2021 that the league would work with the group. Trump already is planning to have the Ultimate Fighting Championship host an event on the White House grounds around the July 4th holiday, which marks the country’s founding.

The initiative also plans to hold an event this fall that Trump has referred to as the “Patriot Games,” in which high school athletes from across the country compete against each other.

Trump has weighed in publicly on sports throughout his time as president, including criticizing rule changes and the political stances of athletes. He also attended high-profile events, including the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and Monday’s NCAA football championship.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump used sports to boost his support among young white men by attending UFC fights and college football games. Ahead of the midterm elections in November, the president is seeking to double down on the demographic.

The Athletic reported the meeting earlier.