Celebrities including Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Sir Paul McCartney and Bradley Cooper were out in force for arguably America’s biggest sporting event of the year – the Super Bowl – as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.
But it wasn’t just the stars of music and acting who were among the crowds to watch the American football spectacle at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Donald Trump made history by becoming the first sitting US president to attend a Super Bowl.
Pop superstar Swift was there to cheer on her boyfriend Travis Kelce, who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. The team were trying to win their third Super Bowl title in a row.
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When the singer’s face appeared on the Jumbotron, some Eagles fans started booing her.
Later, Mr Trump trolled her, writing on his Truth Social platform: “The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”
Swift had endorsed Mr Trump’s rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Image: Taylor Swift seen in the stands. Pic: Reuters
Image: Swift speaks to musician and actress Alana Haim. Pic: Reuters
Before Sunday’s game, Mr Trump walked on to the field to meet families of the victims of the New Year’s Day terror attack in the city, as well as police and other emergency personnel.
Fourteen people were killed and dozens of others injured when US Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pick-up truck into crowds on Bourbon Street early on 1 January this year. He was then shot dead by police.
Image: Mr Trump met relatives of the victims of the New Year’s Day attack, as well as police and other emergency personnel. Pic: Reuters
When Mr Trump entered the stadium, he was greeted with a mix of cheers and boos from the crowd.
He watched Super Bowl 59 from a box, along with his daughter Ivanka and son Eric, as well as several politicians who accompanied him on Air Force One to New Orleans. First Lady Melania Trump did not attend.
Image: President Trump, alongside his daughter Ivanka, during the national anthem. Pic: Reuters
Trump’s previous criticism of NFL
During his first term in office, Mr Trump criticised the National Football League (NFL) and its members after black players kneeled during the US national anthem to bring attention to racial injustice.
Image: Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie lifts the Vince Lombardi Trophy after his team defeated the Kansas City Chiefs. Pic: Reuters
For Sunday’s game, the league put the phrase “Choose Love” behind one of the end zones. It replaced the previous phrase “End Racism”, which has been used since 2021.
Famous faces
Stars in the stands included Taylor Swift, Jay-Z and former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, as well as Hollywood stars Adam Sandler, Paul Rudd and Kevin Costner.
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Image: Samuel L Jackson took part in the half-time show. Pic: AP
The rapper also teased a performance of his Drake diss track Not Like Us.
“I wanna play their favourite song but you know they love to sue,” Lamar told the women dancers behind him, referencing fellow rapper Drake and the current lawsuits around the song.
Lamar went on to perform the track which was named song and record of the year at the Grammys last weekend.
Drake is suing Universal Music Group for defamation and harassment, over its release of Not Like Us last year.
He has claimed the track contained defamatory content accusing him of serious misconduct.
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There were around 80 Super Bowl advertising slots and some cost a record $8m for 30 seconds this year.
Among the adverts, football star David Beckham and actor Matt Damon were long-lost twins who bonded over a beer, while Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal re-enacted their famous deli scene from 1989’s When Harry Met Sally, except this time Sally was expressing her enthusiasm for mayonnaise.
Also, British singer Seal became an actual seal that was sad he could not hold a drink with his flippers, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and comedian Pete Davidson teamed up for a cookware commercial, and The Muppets searched for accommodations with a booking site.
A pilot has died after a private jet owned by Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil crashed into another plane at an airport in Arizona.
Neil was not on board at the time of the collision, which happened off the runway at Scottsdale Airport on Monday afternoon.
Neil’s girlfriend Rain Andreani and her friend suffered injuries which are not thought to be life-threatening.
They were taken to hospital with the jet’s co-pilot, who was also injured.
Image: Emergency responders work on Vince Neil’s plane after the collision. Pic: AP
“While details are still emerging, our hearts go out to the families of both the pilot who lost his life and the passengers who suffered injuries,” Motley Crue said in a statement.
“Motley Crue will announce a way to help support the family of the deceased pilot – stand by for an announcement very soon”.
Rain Andreani broke five ribs in the crash and the dogs the women were travelling with survived, TMZ reports.
Kanye West has been criticised over a TV advert directing people to a website selling a swastika T-shirt during the Super Bowl.
It shows him lying down, telling viewers: “I spent all the money for the commercial on these new teeth, so once again I had to shoot it on the iPhone… go to Yeezy.com.”
The site now features nothing but a single T-shirt with a swastika on the front – alongside the code “HH-01” – believed to be a reference to “Heil Hitler”.
The advert was shown in the Los Angeles area during the big game, but not nationwide.
Image: The listing is the sole item on West’s website
The rapper’s final entry stated: “I’m logging out of Twitter. I appreciate [X owner] Elon [Musk] for allowing me to vent.
“It has been very cathartic to use the world as a sounding board. It was like an Ayahuasca trip.”
“Love all of you who gave me your energy and attention. To we connect again [sic]. Good afternoon and goodnight.”
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Kanye’s wife shocks at Grammys
West made multiple posts on Friday, including statements such as “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi” – with the Campaign Against Antisemitism calling on Mr Musk to ban him.
The group said the T-shirt listing was another damning example of West’s dangerous prejudice.
“The swastika is the symbol adopted by Hitler as the primary emblem of the Nazis,” it posted.
“It galvanized his followers in the 20th century and continues to threaten and instil fear in those targeted by antisemitism and white supremacy.”
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West – also known as Ye – has been suspended from Twitter at least twice before.
In October 2022, his account was restricted over antisemitic comments but he returned the following month. The outcry prompted Adidas to end their lucrative trainer deal.
Two months later, he was locked out again after posts including one appearing to show a swastika inside a Star of David.
Elon Musk, who rebranded Twitter as X in 2023,said at the time the suspension was “for incitement to violence” but the account was back up and running the following summer.
Kanye West has deleted his X account after being criticised over a series of offensive posts on the social media platform.
The US rapper, also known as Ye, was criticised for posting “hate-filled” remarks about Jewish people.
On Friday many of his posts centred on the Jewish community and he said “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi”.
Another post said: “I’m never apologising for my Jewish comments.”
Following the posts, West’s account had a “sensitive content warning” added to it.
But the 47-year-old now appears to have deleted his X account.
“I’m logging out of Twitter,” he wrote. “I appreciate [X owner] Elon [Musk] for allowing me to vent.
“It has been very cathartic to use the world as a sounding board. It was like an Ayahuasca trip.”
“Love all of you who gave me your energy and attention. To we connect again [sic]. Good afternoon and goodnight.”
During the Super Bowl show he had posted about Taylor Swift, writing: “IF ITS ABOUT THE CULTURE … WHY ARE WE LETTING TAYLOR SWIFT BE SEEN ON TV SINGING A SONG ABOUT TAKING A BLACK MAN DOWN AND ACCUSING OF THINGS THAT CAN TAKE A BLACK MAN DOWN FOR LIFE.”
The Campaign Against Antisemitism had called on Mr Musk to remove West from X over a string of offensive posts.
A spokesperson said: “Once again, Ye has gone on an antisemitic rampage online. It couldn’t be any clearer that he is an unrepentant, proud antisemite.”
It added: “At a time of unprecedented antisemitism, there can be no mistaking this incitement for exactly what it is. We call on Elon Musk to remove him from X.”
The US actor said on his Instagram account: “This is so 2022. We can’t stop a deranged bigot from spewing hate filled, ignorant bile… but we CAN stop giving him a megaphone, Mr Musk.
“Kanye West has 32.7 million followers on your platform, X. That’s twice as many people than the number of Jews in existence. His sick hate speech results in REAL LIFE violence against Jews.
“I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that he identifies as a Nazi (which implies he wants to exterminate ALL marginalized communities including his own) or the fact that there is not sufficient OUTRAGE to remove and ban him from all social media at this point.”
“Silence is complicity,” he added.
Rapper has had account suspended before
It comes after West and his wife Bianca Censori caused controversy at the Grammy Awards when she wore a transparent dress on the red carpet as he stood by her.
The rapper has had his X account suspended at least twice in the past.
In October 2022, West’s account was restricted over antisemitic comments, but he returned to the platform the following month. He also made antisemitic remarks that led Adidas to cut ties with him.
In December 2022 it was suspended after he made antisemitic comments and praised Hitler.
At the time Mr Musk said the account would be suspended after Kanye posted an image appearing to show a swastika inside a Star of David.
He said the suspension was “for incitement to violence”. The account was unsuspended by July 2023.