TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Former President Donald Trump attended the highly-anticipated Georgia-Alabama game on Saturday night deep in the heart of SEC country in Tuscaloosa.
The visit comes just a little more than a month before the November Presidential Election, in which Trump will face off against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
Here's video of Trump arriving at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday night:
11Alive's Reggie Chatman is at the game and captured the moment that Donald Trump was introduced to the crowd at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
11Alive's Reggie Chatman also spoke with Georgia and Alabama fans before the game in Tuscaloosa and asked them what their thoughts were on former President Donald Trump attending the game. Here's what they said:
It's not the first time the former president has attended an Alabama game in Tuscaloosa and not the first time he's seen Georgia and Alabama duke it out. Trump watched the 2018 National Championship game in Atlanta, where Alabama won on a game-winning touchdown in overtime.
Trump attended the Alabama-LSU game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2019, when LSU won a high-scoring affair by a final of 46-41 in a matchup filled with future NFL stars.
According to Tuscaloosa News, Trump departed a campaign visit in Wisconsin around 4 p.m. and his plane took off for Alabama. His plane was seen on the ground at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport at 4:21 p.m EST.
"We have been notified that the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, plans to attend the Alabama-Georgia football game on Sept. 28 after receiving an invitation from a private citizen," Alabama said in a statement. "The safety of our campus is and will remain our top priority, and UAPD will work closely with the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement partners to coordinate security.
Long lines were reported with heightened security at the game.
In a state like Georgia that could help decide the 2024 Presidential Election, political strategist Fred Hicks said showing face without spending a lot of money could pay off.
"He's trying to send two messages: that he's not afraid, he's strong and comfortable being out in the public -- and that he's sort of a man's man," Hicks said.
The former president wasn't the only one gunning for glory in Tuscaloosa on Saturday for the massive SEC clash.
Vice President Kamala Harris aired a new ad that challenged Mr. Trump to another debate. She originally had plans to send a message through the air, but those plans were scrapped due to windy weather. But ultimately, it'll come down to the ground game that decides the election.
"But that both major candidates are putting a lot of effort and work into this game says Georgia does influence this whole thing," Hicks said.
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