President Donald Trump’s appearance at the U.S. Open men’s singles final on Sunday, Sept. 7, became a family affair that quickly captured public attention, but not for the right reasons.

The 79-year-old commander in chief arrived at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, accompanied by his 14-year-old granddaughter Arabella Kushner, daughter of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, creating a scene that would spark widespread social media commentary about family dynamics and public appearances.

Donald Trump’s granddaughter refuses to sit next to him in a viral video taken at the US Open. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The president’s arrival caused a 45-minute delay as enhanced security measures were implemented throughout the venue. Long lines of tennis fans snaked around the stadium, with many expressing frustration at the unexpected wait.

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When Trump finally took his seat in the prestigious Rolex box, he was flanked by a notable entourage including Attorney General Pam Bondi, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, with young Arabella positioned among the high-ranking officials.

As the lineup arrives at their seats, cameras catch Arabella inching away from her grandfather. Before she could move further, her father intervened, guiding her back and signaling for her to sit beside Trump.

Social media users were quick to dissect the seating arrangement and body language displayed during the match.

“Trump has no friends so he brought the staff. They are all seat fillers,” observed one Twitter user, highlighting the unusual mix of family and administration officials in attendance.

Arabella found herself thrust into an uncomfortable spotlight when her grandfather’s face appeared on the stadium’s jumbotron during the national anthem, prompting a chorus of loud boos that echoed throughout the venue for approximately 30 seconds.

Arabella’s visible discomfort during these moments didn’t go unnoticed by eagle-eyed viewers watching the broadcast. Video footage captured the young teen’s facial expressions as the crowd’s mixed reactions of cheers and jeers filled the air. Eventually, she just got up and sat close to her father rather than be around her gramps.

“Even his granddaughter doesn’t want to be near him,” one tweet reads, noting what appeared to be reluctance in her demeanor.

Another person wrote, “She really tried to avoid sitting next to him. One can’t chose your family. Poor rich girl.”

The awkward moment was compounded when organizers had specifically requested broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions to the president’s attendance.

The situation drew comparisons to Trump’s other granddaughter, 18-year-old Kai Trump, who recently found herself at the center of controversy following her birthday celebration video.

Just hours before turning 18 in May, Kai posted a TikTok video featuring herself and three friends dancing provocatively to Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous,” which accumulated over 2.5 million views and sparked intense debate about appropriate behavior for presidential family members.

Critics questioned the stark contrast between her previous wholesome image from the Republican National Convention speech and her current social media presence.

The backlash was swift and pointed, with many wondering about the apparent lack of oversight, questioning the appropriateness of her actions, especially given who her grandfather is.

Managing the teen girls’ actions might be a handful for anyone in the president’s office. Former first lady Michelle Obama often speaks about the challenge of raising young ladies in the White House and with Secret Service everywhere. She also talked about what a drag it was for her kids to be in the spotlight.

Which is why Arabella’s U.S. Open appearance is so fascinating to many.

The most intriguing moment came when cameras captured a tense exchange between the president and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt regarding Arabella’s positioning in the stands.

As Trump waved to the audience amid mixed reactions, the Irish Star reports, professional lip reader Nicola Hickling analyzed the footage and claimed to have deciphered what appeared to be a directive from the commander in chief.

According to Hickling’s interpretation, Trump gestured toward his granddaughter and requested that she move closer, while Leavitt appeared to mouth “No,” before eventually yielding to the president’s wishes.

Another exchange that Hickling captured was between The Donald and his granddaughter. Inside the VIP box, Arabella appears to be frantically looking for something, according to The Mirror.

“Where is my bag?” the lip reader claims the girl said to her dad, as Kushner responds, “I don’t have it.”

As the distressed teen approaches her grandfather, still searching for her bag, she tells him to move to the side. Trump — focused on the crowd — shuts her down: “You can stay right there,” Hickling says he saw him mouth.

The brief interaction raised questions about protocol and family dynamics even within Trump’s inner circle. The exchange left observers wondering about the underlying motivations, whether the positioning change was driven by security concerns, etiquette considerations, or more personal family matters unfolding before the cameras, especially for the high school freshman.

“She’s wishing she was home watching TV or hanging with her friends and not with a bunch of old farts at a boring tennis match,” noted one X user, perfectly capturing what many viewers interpreted as Arabella’s true feelings about the outing.

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