Pat McAfee addressed the reaction to his Veterans Day show Monday after hosting President Donald Trump live from Parris Island, defending the decision and firing back at critics who questioned the choice.
Broadcasting from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island to commemorate Veterans Day, McAfee and his team produced a special edition of The Pat McAfee Show that included a surprise live appearance from Trump.
“We also had the commander in chief on the show live,” McAfee said. “I believe it’s the second time that a sitting president has been live on an ESPN show. The last one was from a Democratic political party. This one obviously representing, I guess, the Republican political party, but in my eyes, he’s the leader of the military, and we were celebrating the hell out of Veterans Day.”
The live interview drew national attention and sparked debate across social media, with some applauding McAfee for securing a rare presidential appearance, while others criticized ESPN for giving airtime to a polarizing political figure.
McAfee acknowledged the criticism during his Wednesday program, saying he understood that not everyone would be happy with the decision. Still, he defended the intent behind the broadcast, emphasizing that the focus was on honoring members of the armed forces.
“There are people who are certainly not the most happy that that happened,” McAfee said. “Every veteran, military person I talked to was very grateful and thankful that we spotlighted the heroes of America who walk amongst us, who are willing to sign a line and go for the United States of America. So if you’re against what happened yesterday, I’d like to say you hate the troops, and you should go ahead and swallow that.”
The host, known for his unfiltered style, also addressed backlash from some viewers who vowed to stop watching his program following Trump’s appearance.
“A lot of people say mean stuff to me. Yep, got a lot of people that don’t know what football looks like telling me they’re never watching my show again,” McAfee said. “And I would like to let you know—good. F**k you. Let’s move on.”
During the wide-ranging segment on Tuesday, Trump discussed topics ranging from college football’s evolving landscape under name, image, and likeness rules to the NFL’s new kickoff format, the Ryder Cup, and the World Cup. McAfee defending having Trump on following his appearance and also revealed that he reached out to former President Barack Obama to appear on the program in honor of the holiday.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
