U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) is looking forward to joining former President Donald Trump at the Saturday clash between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs for his first trip to Bryant-Denny Stadium as a senator and not an opposing coach.
Trump's planned attendance at the game has brought state and national attention with just more than a month before November's presidential election. This will be Trump's second time at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The first was when the Tide took on the LSU Tigers in 2019 while he was still in office.
Tuberville, a former Auburn football coach and longtime Trump supporter, plans to join Trump at the game for the first time at Bryant Denny Stadium since taking office. He told reporters he also plans to attend the Auburn game Saturday, weather permitting.
"I'll be in Auburn for part of the Auburn-Oklahoma game, and I'll meet President Trump in Tuscaloosa," Tuberville said. "Now, barring the weather not turning real bad, obviously, it's going to be hard to travel in real, real bad weather. Hopefully, it moves on out and people stay safe. But President Trump is coming as he's done before to the state. He loves football. He loves sports. I'm anxious to go up and visit with him a little bit, but there will be a lot of people wanting to shake his hand.
"That's what he loves to do. He loves people. He loves the American people. He wants to show that these people that are out to get him aren't going to keep him inside, not going to keep him in the basement. He's going to be out. He's going to be visible. You see now where he's got a full security detail," he added.
Trump's attendance could create security delays, as his announcement came a week after he dodged another assassination attempt in Florida.
The University of Alabama said in a statement to 1819 News that it was working with state and federal law enforcement to ensure security at the game.
"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," the school said. "Like for every UA football game, walk-through metal detectors will be in place and the clear bag policy will be strictly enforced. Additional safety measures will be enacted in collaboration with local and federal agencies, so fans are encouraged to arrive early to expedite the security screening process."
Tuberville said he expects security delays, but he echoed the prompt for fans to arrive early to ensure they make it to their seats before kickoff.
"I'm sure it would cause a little bit of a backlog, but people in the SEC know to get to your tailgate early, get into the stadium whenever you possibly can," he continued. "Hopefully, this won't hold up a lot of people in terms of getting in and seeing a great football game. I'm looking forward to it."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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