US President Donald Trump has cancelled his planned visit to Saturday's Alabama-Georgia football game in Tuscaloosa as Hurricane Isaias, now a Category 3 storm, bears down on the Gulf Coast.
Tuscaloosa Police confirmed that the president will not be in attendance for the SEC rivalry matchup at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 10, according to reporting by Ryan Phillips of the Tuscaloosa Patch cited by The Tuscaloosa News.
From Mobile rally to a storm-forced reversal
Trump had announced his intention to attend the game during a rally in Mobile, Alabama, on Friday, October 2 — just over a week before the matchup. The president later said he had been unaware of the hurricane at the time he announced the visit, and said he would "let the hurricane decide" whether he would make the appearance.
The visit would have marked his second appearance at an Alabama-Georgia football game in Tuscaloosa in three seasons. He last attended the rivalry on September 28, 2024, when then-No. 4 Alabama defeated No. 2 Georgia 41-34 in a dramatic contest at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
A Category 3 storm closes in
Isaias intensified as it approached on Friday, October 9, threatening destructive winds, dangerous storm surge, flooding and possible tornadoes across the Gulf Coast. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency as officials braced for the storm's arrival, and emergency preparations were under way across the coastal region.
The anticipated presidential visit had been expected to bring additional attention and security measures to an already highly anticipated matchup between the two SEC powers. With public safety concerns taking priority, communities along the coast are bracing for the storm's impact as Saturday approaches.
Sources:
The Tuscaloosa News: President Trump cancels Alabama-Georgia visit as hurricane threatens
Tuscaloosa Police confirmed that the president will not be in attendance for the SEC rivalry matchup at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 10, according to reporting by Ryan Phillips of the Tuscaloosa Patch cited by The Tuscaloosa News.
From Mobile rally to a storm-forced reversal
Trump had announced his intention to attend the game during a rally in Mobile, Alabama, on Friday, October 2 — just over a week before the matchup. The president later said he had been unaware of the hurricane at the time he announced the visit, and said he would "let the hurricane decide" whether he would make the appearance.
The visit would have marked his second appearance at an Alabama-Georgia football game in Tuscaloosa in three seasons. He last attended the rivalry on September 28, 2024, when then-No. 4 Alabama defeated No. 2 Georgia 41-34 in a dramatic contest at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
A Category 3 storm closes in
Isaias intensified as it approached on Friday, October 9, threatening destructive winds, dangerous storm surge, flooding and possible tornadoes across the Gulf Coast. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency as officials braced for the storm's arrival, and emergency preparations were under way across the coastal region.
The anticipated presidential visit had been expected to bring additional attention and security measures to an already highly anticipated matchup between the two SEC powers. With public safety concerns taking priority, communities along the coast are bracing for the storm's impact as Saturday approaches.
Sources:
The Tuscaloosa News: President Trump cancels Alabama-Georgia visit as hurricane threatens
