Trump to attend college football championship

by John Bowden - 01/03/18 4:19 PM ET

President Trump will attend the college football national championship game between Georgia and Alabama on Monday in Atlanta, according to the blog Politically Georgia.

Three sources tell the news blog that Georgia native Nick Ayers, Vice President Pence’s chief of staff, will host Trump as a guest. {mosads}

The game will be held Monday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders congratulated the two schools for their successful seasons during Wednesday’s press conference.

During the news conference, Sanders praised the “two great football teams in the greatest conference in the country. Which I’m sure that most of you will all agree, even those that don’t live in one of those lucky states.”

Trump and members of his administration have favored college-level athletics amid Trump’s feuds with top athletes in both the NFL and the NBA. Trump sparked criticism from several top professional athletes when he said that NFL owners should fire players who kneel during the national anthem during an Alabama campaign rally in September.

Pence made headlines last year when he left an NFL game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers when several 49ers players protested during the national anthem.

Trump’s feud with the NBA stretches earlier into last year, when Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry made headlines by refusing an invitation to meet Trump at the White House after winning the NBA playoffs.

Updated at 4:35 p.m.

Tags Donald Trump Donald Trump Football Georgia United States