President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump made an honorary lap around the track ahead of Sunday’s IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C.
The couple rode in the presidential limousine, known as the Beast, as the motorcade completed a lap before the race got underway and the green flag was waved.
Was Trump booed at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix?
A video from the moment has since gained traction on social media, with a post claiming that Trump was booed by spectators as his vehicle crossed the finish line.
The footage also shows a flyover taking place at roughly the same time, which the account that shared the clip described as a distraction that helped drown out the alleged boos.
However, the audio in the video contains significant crowd noise, making it difficult to independently determine whether spectators were actually booing Trump or simply cheering. The claim therefore could not be independently verified based on the footage alone.
The video was posted on X with the caption, “Trump getting loudly booed again at the finish line and was saved by the flyover. STAY CONNECTED, NEXT DROP WILL BE SHOCKING.”
However, another video circulating online captured the crowd noise as Trump’s car approached the finish line, with the sound appearing to resemble boos from portions of the crowd.
Trump meets drivers before race
Donald Trump was scheduled to wave the green flag and officially signal the start of the race.
As the presidential motorcade approached the finish line, his new Air Force One flew overhead above the capital. Trump was later seen speaking with several drivers before returning to The Beast.
IndyCar makes Capital racing debut
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix marked the first occasion on which professional road racing was held in Washington, D.C. The event brought racing to a city known for having a 55 mph (89 km/h) maximum speed limit, the lowest such limit in the United States.
The 1.7-mile street circuit took drivers past the U.S. Capitol and around the National Mall, with the field set to complete 147 laps. The unique setting was expected to provide a major spectacle for racing fans.
Álex Palou started the race from pole position. The driver entered the event leading the 2026 IndyCar standings after recording six victories during the season.