The White House lashed out at a slew of Trump-critical celebrities after slow security delayed their entry into the U.S. Open men’s singles final.
Hordes of people were seen gathered outside Arthur Ashe Stadium in the president’s native Queens, New York City, on Sunday, as defending champion Jannik Sinner prepared to reignite his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz.
But Donald Trump’s heavy security slowed down the crowds, meaning many people hadn’t made it to their seats by the time the match started, even though it began 45 minutes late because of Trump’s attendance. Page Six reported that the delays also affected VIPs, including some famous faces who are known critics of the president.
ADVERTISEMENT
Among them were Bruce Springsteen and late-night TV host Stephen Colbert. The two men have been particularly outspoken against Trump’s policies, but the White House doesn’t seem to care.
“Oh no! How will we ever recover from the pathetic (but hilarious) crying of Loser Bruce Springsteen and Newly Unemployed Stephen Colbert?” Rapid Response 47 posted on X, sharing a Daily Mail article about “stony-faced celebs” who watched Alcaraz beat Sinner in four sets to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking.
One anonymous source told Page Six that the delays instigated by Trump’s security goons didn’t only affect the A-list folk, but the “normies” too. “It is an absolute s–-tshow,” they said. “Cars can’t get into parking lots and people are walking miles. Even celebs are having to wait like normies.”
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas, and Ben Stiller were spotted “waiting in line, like everyone else.” Actress Debra Messing “sat in a car for an hour and they wouldn’t let her out,” the source added.
While Colbert seemed his usual exuberant self, Springsteen was seen in his seat with a neutral expression. The legendary singer earned Trump’s ire in June when, during his European “Land of Hope & Dreams Tour,” he labeled the president a “moron” and said he was behind the “American tragedy.”
After the singer’s pointed missive, Trump responded on Truth Social, calling Springsteen “highly overrated… not a talented guy – just a pushy, obnoxious JERK.”
Springsteen had campaigned on behalf of Joe Biden, just as he did with Barack Obama and later Kamala Harris. Colbert, meanwhile, has made a career out of Trump-bashing, regularly using his Late Show With Stephen Colbert monologues to attack the president.
Since taking office in January, Trump has launched a series of crusades against the major TV networks—including CBS—and against late-night TV hosts who have skewered his presidency.
In July, Trump celebrated the cancellation of Colbert’s show. “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,” he wrote on social media.
Before the cancellation, Colbert had ripped into his own network for paying Trump a $16 million settlement over allegations that CBS’s 60 Minutes had deceptively edited its 2024 interview with Kamala Harris, calling the payment a “big fat bribe.”
Trump, meanwhile, tried to curry favor with the crowd at the U.S. Open final on Sunday after he was booed.
A video, shared by his press secretary Karoline Leavitt, shows the president signing caps and launching them into the stands. “The People’s President and the coolest boss ever. Signing hats for fans at the #USOpen,” she wrote on X.
The White House has been contacted for additional comment.
