Super Bowl 2025: Netizens wonder if Donald Trump served in military after president salutes during national anthem

Only people in uniform were traditionally authorised to render a military salute during the national anthem, but no law explicitly prohibits civilians from doing the same. A video captured Batiste performing the national anthem, and the crowd cheering as the camera panned to Trump.

‘Is Trump allowed to salute?’

Trump’s salute did raise some questions. “Why is Trump saluting? Performative Moron, it’s the Army who salute the flag or President..,” one X user questioned. “Is Trump allowed to salute? Does a president get to salute even though they didn’t serve at all?” another user asked in a post, to which a user replied, “He is the Commander in Chief of the entire military so yes”. Many others pointed out in the comment section that as commander in chief, the president can salute.

Trump has never served in the military, and was in fact the only person ever elected to the land’s highest office without serving in the military or any public office before his inauguration back in 2016. However, he attended a military school when he was a teen.

Trump was drafted to serve in the army during the Vietnam War when he was in college. However, he was given college draft deferments four times and, as well as another deferment for bone spurs in both heels, a 2016 report by Snopes says.

Trump is the first sitting US president to attend a Super Bowl, but he isn’t a stranger to the NFL. The president attended a game last October in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania while he was campaigning in the presidential election. Notably, he has been critical of league commissioner Roger Goodell and has expressed his contempt over a rule change for kick-offs. He previously also slammed Goodell over how he handled NFL players who chose to kneel during the national anthem – something that was widely done after George Floyd’s murder in 2020. Trump was seen talking to Goodell before the game began this year.