New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft may have secured a presidential endorsement for next month’s Super Bowl.
Kraft, 84, appeared to have healed his rift with Donald Trump, 79, as he was spotted rubbing shoulders with the President on Thursday evening.
The billionaire attended the star-studded movie premiere for First Lady Melania Trump‘s self-titled documentary at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
The glitzy event boasted a celebrity guestlist that included influencers, athletes and pop stars. The President’s political allies were also out in force including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health Secretary RFK Jr. and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
But it was Kraft who was granted pride of place as he took his seat next to the Commander-in-Chief in the presidential box inside the center.
Kraft’s proximity to the President raised eyebrows given his previous claims that the two were no longer on speaking terms.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft joined Donald Trump at the Kennedy Center
The billionaire was seated next to the President at the movie premierefor Melania
First Lady Melania donned a buttoned black dress and stilettos as she was joined by her husband who wore his signature navy blue suit for the premiere of her documentary
The Patriots chief previously admitted in 2024 that he had distanced himself from Trump over the January 6 riots at Capitol Hill.
The pair first met back in the 1990s and connected once again after Kraft’s first wife died in 2011 following a battle with cancer when she was 68 years old.
Kraft, who is worth a reported $11.1 billion, also revealed that he had donated to Trump’s presidential campaign in the past.
However, their friendship swiftly unraveled in 2021 with Kraft cutting off all communication with Trump following the events of January 6.
‘Donald Trump became a social friend in the early ’90s, when I was going down to Florida. And then when my wife…. died 13 years ago, he was one of four or five people who reached out to me and was really, really nice,’ Kraft said on The Breakfast Club in 2024.
‘The only donation I ever gave to him was he called me when he got elected, and I made a strong donation to his inauguration. I couldn’t believe it, it was like having someone who was a drunk fraternity brother become president of the United States.’
‘I will say this,’ Kraft added. ‘I was very upset (with) what happened January 6. And I haven’t talked to [Trump] since then.’
Yet, Kraft appears to have put his grudge with Trump behind him as he was spotted chatting with the President during Thursday night’s event.
Kraft and Trump appeared to have repaired their rift, which dated back to the January 6 riots
Kraft listens as Trump speaks during a ceremony at the White House on April 19, 2017
The appearance came just over one week before Kraft’s Patriots will face off against the Seattle Seahawks for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
And the Patriots may just have Trumps’ backing when they take to the field for the big game, which takes place on February 8.
While he didn’t outright reveal he was rooting for, Trump sang the Patriots’ praises earlier this week.
‘Bob Kraft is a friend of mine,’ Trump said on The Will Cain Show on Tuesday. ‘I’ve watched that team, and you gotta hand it to him. He had the great team and now he’s got the great team again.’
The Amazon-produced Melania, which is set to debut in theaters around the country on Friday, follows the First Lady in the 20 days leading up to husband President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025.
The trailer shows Melania in her element, ascending the stairs to her private jet in sky-high stilettos, marshaling business meetings in Mar-a-Lago and Manhattan, and stunning in her white-and-black inaugural ball gown.
Trump, Melania, Myra Kraft and Kraft (L-R) are pictured at a benefit at Mar-a-Lago in 2011
Trump and his wife Melania arrive for the premiere of the documentary film ‘Melania’
Behind-the-scenes footage captures tender family moments with son Barron Trump and her father, while also shining a light on the rigorous security standards that surround the First Family.
Amazon secured the film for $40 million – the largest documentary deal in history – after beating rivals Disney, Netflix and Paramount in a ferocious bidding war.
Melania, asked about her inspiration for the film, told reporters: ‘Well it was my life.’
‘You will see humor, you will see grief, you will see fashion so I’m very proud of the film,’ the 55-year-old told reporters.